My Faith in you
by Gabrielle Henson
Summary: Season six. After Tabula Rasa, Tara decides to leave Sunnydale for a while to try to rebuild herself. She may end up in LA where Faith is building her own path to redemption...
1. Prologue : Tabula Rasa

_This story takes place during season 6 and begins where 'Tabula Rasa' ends._

_Tara decides to get away from the scoobies to rebuild herself after Willow's betrayal..._

_Note : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

**Prologue : Tabula Rasa**

It was the last one.

Tara put down her last package with her other cases in front of the house of Revello Drive and turned to the opened door, looking at the inside of the house which had been kind of hers, during all these months and that she got ready to leave, her heart destroyed. Her glance went through the stair in search of Dawn's silhouette. The teenager was at the top of the stairs and looked at her. When she felt Tara's glance settle on her, Dawn turned around and disappeared from Tara's sight without a gesture for her. Tara felt her heart squeeze up and she had to fight for containing new tears. She looked again at her bag and her two small boxes which laid at her feet, containing all her life there. Or at least, all that remained of it.

Tara turned again to the house and to the stairs. Dawn had not reappeared and she could feel that Willow had not moved from the bathroom into which she had locked herself since their return from the magic box. One second, a tiny small second, the urge, the need to run at the top of the stairs, to open this bathroom's door, to take the redhead in her arms and to forgive her for everything, invaded Tara. But the second following, she saw the crystal broken on the sewers' ground again. She sawthe book and the paragraph on the lethe ' bramble effects again. And her heart squeezed up so violently in her chest that she had to support herself against the frame of the door to prevent her from falling.

"You ready?"

Xander's voice brought her back to reality. The young man was standing in front of her, a grave and sad air plastered on his face. Tara wondered if he felt sorry for her pain or if he felt resentful to her for making Willow suffer. The witch was too much a prisoner of her own feelings to understand the others' ones.

She shook her head shyly and Xander took both boxes towards hiscar, parked in front of the house.

" You need one minute? " He asked again, pointing the inside of the house.

Tara looked at it again. Dawn did not still show herself and she knew that it would be a mistake to try to speak to her now. She shook her head and collected her bag, ready to follow Xander.

The young man piled up both boxes on the back footpath and Tara added her bag. Then she rose on the passenger seat and Xander put himself in front of the steering wheel.

He started the engine and the car quickly went away from the Summers house, taking definitively Tara too much far away from her home.

" You sure of what you're doing? " Asked Xander after a silence.

He tried to ask it in a neutral voice but Tara felt a point of bitterness there. She did not ask about it and confirmed by head.

" You sure you don't want to come some times to our place? " Asked again Xander, in a sweeter voice this time.

Again, Tara shook her head.

" It's very kind of you but I think that I'd rather be alone. "

" Anya insisted a lot " resumed Xander. " She will doubtless wanna kill me for failing to convince you. "

He tried to joke but the heart was not there.

" It is really sweet, Xander, but I need to be alone. Really. "

The carpenter shook his head and added nothing during some minutes.

" Anya didn't come because she doesn't like goodbyes " he said finally. " She said that it would be probably sad "

Tara answered nothing. It was sad. Effectively.

The rest of the road up to a small motel in the centre of the town was silently made. The street was almost deserted and Xander had no trouble to park in front of the hotel. He went out of the car and came to the right back door, which Tara had already opened to help her to take her cases. But before she had the time to catch them, he stopped her gesture and forced her to look at him.

" Tara, are you sure? " He asked again. " None of us likes knowing you alone here. You could come home "

Tara offered him a pale smile.

" Don't worry Xander, it's only for a day or two. The time needed for me to obtain a new room in the dorms. It won't be difficult, free rooms don't miss here. "

"Yeah"

New hush. Xander still didn't let go of Tara.

" You sure? "

She shook her head again in a gesture that she wanted sure.

" Sure. "

Xander released her and both collected the thin cases of Tara before carrying them inside. In the hall, Tara got back the key of the room that she had reserved a little earlier by phone and Xander took up her luggage there. He did not linger. He embraced Tara quickly and quickly re-tumbled down the stair, wishing to come back as quickly as possible at home to offer the little comfort that he could to his best friend.

And Tara was finally alone.She had always been lonely before her meeting with Willow just two years earlier, but anyway,it was strange to her to be alone again.

She wasn't used any more to this solitude, which had been her only friend for a so long time. And the circumstances of this new loneliness were only too painful.

Simply evoking it in a corner of her head brought back the tears, although she thought she could not cry any more. She just couldn't believe what happened to her. Willow played with her memories; Willow manipulated her spirit to control her.

Tara was not able to repress a groan at that thought ,while streamed in her clouded mind, memories of happier times. Willow who laughed, Willow who loved her, respected her. Willow who made her grow up, go out of herself to become a woman. Willow who made her taste joy and happiness. To her, Tara, who strongly believed to never be entitled to it.

During her best time with Willow,shesometimes caught herself shaking, thinking that all of this was too beautiful to last. And it did not last.

Finally, maybe,her father was right. Love, light, happiness, all these things were not for Tara.


	2. Leaving Sunnydale, leaving Willow

_Note : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

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**Chapter 1 : Leaving Sunnydale, Leaving Willow**

Getting a new dorm room had not been as easy as she had foreseen it. Demons were probably on holidays, Tara thought while she headed for the x-th time to the office of the admittances.

More than ten days after her departure from the Summers house, Tara was still leaving in a hotel. She had changed it though and chose another one, farther from the center of the town but cheaper, her thin means not allowing her to afford better. The place was poor and you could never imagine less friendly than this. Tara was never at ease when she came back towards her new home at night . But at least, she had a roof and she didn't doubt that she would have a room in the dorms in no time.  
Xander and Anya had insisted again to accommodate her when they had known that she changed her hotel. They were the only ones since her departure to have come and take news from her. Tara knew Willow wouldn't come. And it was for the best this way. But she just couldn't have helped herself to hope seeing Buffy and Dawn come and visit her. But none of them had shown up. Dawn still refused to talk to her and Tara wondered if Buffy, from the depth of her own little world, had even noticed her departure.

The office of the social services of the university was almost empty and a woman without age, sat behind a desk. Absorbed into her reading, she didn't notice her entrance. Tara sat down discreetly on a chair foreseen for wait.  
She stayed there some moments without moving and seeing that the woman still did not notice her, she moved on her chair just enough so that this one scraped the tiled ground. The woman raised her eyes and looked at Tara who sent her an apologizing smile. She made a sign for her to approach.  
Tara obeyed and repeated her request of allocation for a room for the tenth time in ten days.

" Still nothing free? " She asked disappointed, while the woman announced her the piece of news.

She shook her head after having read the list on her computer again.

" Sorry miss. I know that usually the attributions are easier but at the moment, some hall are in recovery, then there are fewer rooms available " she explained.

Seeing the desperate look of Tara, she looked again at her list.

" I have a foreign student who leaves in one and a half month "

" One and a half month! " Tara exclaimed.

" I have nothing better. But you are on the waiting list, if something is released, we shall warn you. "

" How many people before me on the list? " Tara asked.

Again, the woman consulted her computer and grimaced.

" A good dozen. "

The woman found nothing more to add and Tara neither. She thus decided to leave.

" Thank you very much. Have a good day "

And Tara was outside again, more depressed than when she had entered ten minutes earlier.

She was thus going to take the road back to her dirty hotel when a known voice called her shyly from behind.

"Tara…"

The witch turned around to face Dawn, whom she sent a frank smile to. The teenager was shyly standing some metres across from her, apparently embarassed

" Dawn! I'm so happy to see you! "

The evident pleasure on Tara's face seemed to convince Dawn who crossed the last distance between them to throw herself into Tara's arms. Tara welcomed her with sincerity.

" I came to apologize" said finally Dawn while dimming her head on her shoes.

" For the other day " She explained.

Tara smiled to her again and squeezed her again against her.

" It's nothing, Dawnie. I understand "

Dawn didn't answer and contented taking advantage of the offered tenderness and the evident enjoyment which was coming from Tara.

" I thought that we could go to the cinema? " Proposed Dawn, with an hopeful sight.

Tara nodded her head.

" That seems an excellent idea "

Dawn smiled warmly to her.

" Great! You didn't already have plan at least? "

Tara shook her head and forced to repress the smile, both sad and ironic that came to her lips.

" No, nothing foreseen " she said simply.

The witch and the teenager went on their way and went to the town center. The time to reach the cinema, they arrived just in time for the session of the movie chosen by Dawn. The teenager did not resist to the charm of a jar of pop corn that Tara almost let her devour all by herself only.

When the movie was over and the two friends were outside again, Dawn knew she didn't want to come back home yet and to separate from the blonde. She thus proposed a milkshake that Tara was happy to accept and to offer to her despite her limited resources.

They remained sat down at the table in a coffee shop some instants, talking quietly .Dawn spoke a bit about school and questionned Tara about the advance of the steps to acquire a dorm room. She then tried to persuade her to agree to go to live with Xander and Anya but abandoned quickly in front of the firmness the young woman showed. Dialogue ended up on Willow and each tried to defend her position. Tara wanted to reassure Dawn on the feelings that each of both witches maintained for her and Dawn championed Willow, assuring Tara that the redhead went better and made efforts with the magic. She finally questioned Tara about her feelings.

When finally Dawn had overcome her huge milk shake, Tara decided to walk her back home up to the residence Summers, in spite of her anxiety to see Willow there. But when they achieved the 1630 Revello Drive, the house was uninhabited. Neither Buffy, nor Willow had come back despite the late hour. Tara decided to wait with Dawn that one or the other took in before herself came back to her room. She was not very pleased at the idea of having to cross again a part of the city at night, but the idea of leaving Dawn alone pleased her even less. So, both established comfortably on the chesterfield looking forward to the return of the inhabitants. But the hours passed without none of the two showing herself and Dawn and Tara ended up falling asleep on the couch.

It was daytime that awakened them. And both noted with astonishment that neither Buffy, nor Willow had come back at night. Tara felt her entrails writhing with anxiety at this report and could not prevent a small voice in her head from howling that something had perhaps happened to one of the two women or perhaps even to both of them. Willow never spent the night away from home. NEVER.  
But Tara forced herself to keep good composition not to throw Dawn into a panic and undertook to put on in stoves and to make breakfast for the teenager as she was so often used to before.

Dawn had just came back into the kitchen and was going to attack her breakfast when the back door opened and Willow's voice made Tara shiver from head to toes. She turned round to see the witch entering the room, with a blonde young woman Tara had never seen.  
It was necessary to her to unfold more energy and will than she had never believed to possess, to prevent her heart from springing up out of her chest or her legs to give in under her at this view.  
The pain she felt was so intense that Tara thought one instant that she had indeed been hit.  
She heard barely Willow's babble explaining that the girl was Amy the rat. She found anything as an excuse to leave as quickly as possible, while Amy was only confirming her suspicion and supporting her worst fears on Willow's abuses of black magic.  
When Willow spoke to her about stuff that she had left in the house, Tara pointed out that she would come back later, without knowing how she had succeeded in formulating a comprehensible sentence. She then took off as quickly as she could, unable to contain any longer the emotion that built up in her. Arrived on the street, tears ran already copiously on her tired face. She cried while running on the road which brought her back to her hotel. And once arrived, she threw herself on her bed to cry even more. Silent tears as her childhood had so much taught to her to cry. She didn't find courage to go out of her room to go to the university. She decided to establish herself more comfortably in her bed and ended up falling asleep there and sinking into a sleep full of nightmares where Willow had nothing left of Willow.

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When Tara awoke the following morning, she thought one instant that the pain consecutive to the blow of dirk received the day before was going to blurr while the day would advance.  
But she was wrong.  
On the contrary, Tara felt the weight of her miserable life getting heavier on her shoulders as the hours passed, each one more desperate than the previous and as, at no instant in the day, she caught up Willow in the halls of the university.  
Although the pain she knew that seeing the redhead would cause her, Tara hadn't been able to prevent herself to grind discretly around rooms in which the witch had to have lessons. And not to see her from the whole day had finally been worse than if Tara had seen her, alone or with another girl.

It was therefore a new weight on her heart and new tears on the corner of her eyes, that the blonde witch left the Sunnydale High at nightfall after her last lesson. She crossed the university at a quick pace, reached the town centre and after a good others dozen minutes of walk, she was in the last quarter that remained for her to cross before joining the hotel she lived in.  
Deeply buried in her thoughts, Tara did not see a silhouette coming into sight from her right and being roughly planted in the middle of her way. The young woman jumped wildly when she almost hit the new comer. Tara raised her eyes towards the man who was standing in front of her and an inexpressible anxiety grabed her while her instinct said to her that two other men arrived behind her. She hoped one second that this trio would be friendly but remembered quickly that she was in Sunnydale where no nightly meeting was friendly.  
She looked quickly around her, searching for a way to escape if the situation turned badly, and cursed herself not to have find a house nearer to the university.

« Then, what we have here? »

The mocking tone of the big and strong man who was standing in front of her, confirmed her that this meeting wouldn't be nice at all.

« Nobody ever told you it was dangerous to go for a walk alone at night? »

The witch noticed her interlocutor, searching to know if he was human or vampire, really not knowing what would be best, and tried desperatly to calm down herself enough so that she can remember any spell which would allow her to take her out of this.

« So guys, what do you think ? »

Tara turned round partly, but taking good care not to completly turn her back to the first man and determined, as she had already guess, that two other men had just come into sight from darkness behind her.

« She's okay for me » one of them said.

« Who goes first ? » the other one asked.

The anxiety which had grabbed Tara a little earlier transformed into real panic when she heard these words and she opened her mouth to come out with the first conjuration which would come to her. But from the chaos that already was her mind before this meeting, anything coherent came and Tara felt her legs giving in under her, while a powerful arm attracted her forward. She saw then the face of her attacker being transformed and she had her response : vampires.  
Tara closed her eyes and cursed again her nervousness which prevent her to defend herself. She felt the vampire's fangs sink into her neck and let escape a moan of pain. And as suddenly as the fangs had come, she felt them rouse from her skin and the iron grip on her arms letting go of her roughly. Tara subsided wildly on the wall behing her.  
She opened her eyes to see Spike who was now standing between her and her three attackers.

« Three against one, guys? It's not really fair. You've never been taught not to take it out on ladies? »

« What do you want ? » mutterred one of the three. « Clear off and we'll leave you alone »

Spike made a scoffing laugh.

« You think you can harm me? YOU should clear off before I harm you." He paused. "And then finally no. Don't leave. I really want to harm you »

And with that, Spike sent a terrible right jab in the jaw of his closest opponent who waltzed in a lot of garbage cans behind him. The two other vampires threw themselves on Spike then and this last was too happy about it. Sat against the wall against which the wampire had sent her before, Tara tried to focus her mind and to calm down her pounding heart. She noticed the scene in front of her, wondering if she could go useful to Spike who distributed blows with feet and fists with a not contained rage to his two opponents. Absorb as he was by his battle, he didn't point out the third vampire which got up again in the middle of ripped open garbage cans and was ready to attack him by behind. Tara tried to call him to warn him but her shouting stayed stick in her throat and the vampire already stood out behind Spike. In a desperate boost, Tara found the force to spring up on her feet and found her voice again suddenly:

"Incendire"

A small bowl of flame rose between her fingers and crashed on the vampire who was ready to attack Spike by behind, when at the same instant, this one was putting his stake in the heart of one of his two attackers. Fire was far from being high and dense enough to kill the vampire but it made him stand back and informed Spike of his presence. This last used the surprise of the vampire to reduce him to dust without him having time to re-act.  
Then he turned round towards the last remaining vampire whom face was far from beaming.

« You are Spike, aren't you? » he asked, trying to give him a composure.

« Hey, I'm famous even for rookies! » Spike exclaimed on a mocking tone.

The other one did not answer and his look slid towards Tara who had her back against the wall behind her.

"Listen" The vampire said and his attention went back towards Spike. « I know that you can't feed any more 'cause of a chip implanted by soldiers. But we could share? I kill her and we share. What do you say about that? »

Tara trembled slightly, hearing the proposal of the vampire and finally found herself really shaking when Spike turned round towards her and estimated her body from head to toes with thoroughness. She almost left a shouting of dread escape when she saw Spike's face changing and the blonde vampire taking out his fangs. He turned round then towards the other one while Tara was slowly sliding along the wall, ready to confront death.

« It's really very attracting what you offer me » Spike admitted. « But it's no »

With these words, Spike threw himself on the vampire once again and put him almost KO with two blows. He finished him then quiclky with his stake in his heart and came back towards Tara when he had disappeared in dust.

Spike tightened his hand to the witch and Tara took it witch good grace. He helped her to get up again and long seconds were needed for Tara to make her legs stop tremble.

"Thank you " she murmured finally. « Thank you for saving me »

Spike looked at her once again and shrugged.

« It's not really clever to go for a walk at night here. This damn gang didn't teach anything to you? »

Tara lowered her eyes, half-ashamed for letting herself be attacked and half-sad at the evocation of the gang.

« I'm going to walk you back home » Spike added.

Tara shook her head.

« It's not necessary » she mumbled. « I'm not really far anymore »

Spike shook also his head head.

« I come with you. The Slayer will kill me if something happen to you while I'm hereabouts »

Tara stopped protesting and lead the way. It took them some minutes to finish the road that drove up to the hotel.

« Do you want to go up one sec? » Tara asked after one instant of hesitation as they attained the door. « I could give you something to drink. To thank you »

Spike made first the grimace, doubting that the witch had anything in her fridge that he might want. But he decided therefore to accept when he saw the almost pleading look Tara had made her invitation with. Probably the girl didn't have a lot of guests.

Spike followed her to the second floor where Tara had to battle with her trembling hands to open her door. While she was trying to put her key into the lock, the vampire noticed his surroundings: dark halls, soil and grubby walls. Spike thought that this hotel was definitely the last type of place which would suit the blonde witch and he wondered an instant how Willow had been able to leave her established herself in such a crappy place.  
Finally the door opened and Spike interrupted the thread of his thougts to follow Tara in, after she invited him. The room resembled in no way the hall which they had just left. Though the spartiate aspect of the place, he saw that Tara had definitely made all that was in her power to make the room homey. The little bed was impeccably made, her clothes sweetly tidied up in her bag or folded on the only chair of the room and several candles were burning here and there, lightning the room with a benevolent light.  
Tara took away the pile of linen on the chair and made him a sign to sit down. Spike obeyed, wondering suddenly why he had accepted the invitation.

« You have some blood on your neck » he pointed out to her while allowing himself to fall on the chair.

Tara put down the linen on the bed and put her hand on her neck, where she had been bitten. She considered one instant the blood her hand had gathered with an absent air, before turning to Spike once again:

« You... Do you want to suck the wound? » she asked on a shyly tone.

Spike looked at her with incredulity, not certain to have definitely understood what Tara just said.

« What? » he asked, evident shock on his face.

« Do you want to suck blood on my wound? » Tara asked once again. « I... you saved my life, it's the least I can do … »

Spike looked at her one instant with thoroughness, seeming to consider the offer.

« Bloody hell Tara ! Are you getting crazy? » He exclaimed finally. « To offer such things? »

Tara's face closed up immediatly and Spike had the feeling that she was hurt by his outburst. He regretted it and tried to reassure the blonde witch :

« Be not hurt, blondie » he added on a tone he wanted nice. « It's not because you're not appetizing or something. But if I touch you, even on your request, Buffy'll kill me, that's for sure »

He tried to smile but could only note that his try to reassure the fair-haired woman had miserably failed when he saw her face closing up even more. But Tara realized his effort and corrected herself almost immediatly. She crossed her arms in front of her and gave a light smile without joy.

« Ok » She said. « I'm taking care of this. Take something in the fridge »

Tara turned round towards her bag and searched cotton, a disinfectant and a small mirror. Spike watched her cleaning her wounds without moving from his chair. Tara's task did not last and she came back fast towards him after putting a makeshift dressing on her.

« Juice ? Coke? » she asked after a quick glance at the contents of her fridge. « I'm sorry, I don't have blood » She added with an apologizing smile. « I 'm not used to have vampires around. »

« A coke will be good » Spike answered mildly.

Tara carried him a little bottle of coke and sat down on the bed while sipping her apple juice quietly. The vampire looked at her doing so while saying no word and swallowed some sips of his coke. A weird silence established in the room and Spike searched something to start dialogue with the blonde witch.

« You look like shit » He said finally.

Tara deeply raised her head towards him and Spike cursed himself not to have find better to make dialogue with the witch.

« I'm tired » Tara explainded simply. « You don't get attacked by three vampires every day»

Spike addressed her an apparently sceptical grimace.

« Almost not every day » Tara corrected.

« The place's not sure » Spike said to change the subject. « You should find you something else »

Once again, Tara's s smile disappeared and this time, Spike wondered where he made an error to cause this desperate air that the young woman were wearing now.

« I'm searching » She said simply. « It's not easy. The dorms are full at this time of the year. And other accommodations are a bit expensive … »

« I see » The vampire approved.

One more time, silence fell into the room, only disturbed by the discreet noise of the sips drunk by both protagonists. Spike looked at Tara with more attention than before. He saw deep rings under her eyes, traces of dried tears, her hands shaking, and what hit him more than everything, the complete lack of hope in her look which he had the opportunity to see so sparkling. Willow's betrayal had left deep marks on the young woman despite all her efforts to hide them. Spike understood only too well these feelings of rejection and loneliness that Tara had to endure. As far as could be his situation and the blonde witch sat in front of him one, they had at least this in common : rejection. Buffy rejected him because he was just a vampire. And in some way, Willow rejected Tara to prefer the power that gave her dark magic, over the blonde.  
And loneliness. Tara could only be immensly alone to hide in a hotel room so seedy and invite in it a vampire who was as alone as she was to accept the invitation of an almost dumb young woman.

« You really look like shit » Spike insisted when he had finished his examination of the young woman. « You shouldn't stay here. It isn't good for you to depress alone in this hole. »

« Who cares ? » Tara replied on a caustic tone Spike had never heard her use before

Spike bit his lips, uncertain of the response to bring. Uncertain to know the response. Uncertain that there was one who could satisfy the witch.

« You. You should » He answered finally, looking Tara straight in the eye.

Surprise, then hesitation that he saw being written on the face of the young woman, encouraged Spike to go on in this direction.

« Look, look around you, Tara » He went on on a firmer tone. « You don't look like the woman who looked after Dawn and this bunch of depressives unable to take care of themselves this summer. »

« Many things have changed since this summer » Tara gravely murmured.

" Yes " Spike approved on the same tone. « Many things. But you shouldn't lock yourself here and waiting for a new miracle. »

« And what should I do according to you? » Tara asked on a tone pointing out apparently that she did not wait for a persuasive reponse.

« If nobody pulls you through this, pull through this yourself» Spike asserted, getting up to give more force to his words. « If you can't bear to see her sinking like she does, then leave. If nobody keeps you there, then leave. »

Tara opened her mouth to answer something but remained silent and lowered her eyes to hide the tears which went up to her eyes while Spike's words reality printed in her mind. Nobody would keep her. Nobody kept her.

« There's the university » she murmured finally.

« It won't fly off. You'll always be able to come back when you feel ready. And in the worst case, there are other universities in the country … »

Spike shut up and gave the fair-haired woman a sympathetic smile while this one still stared at her hands on her knees, seeming to fight an interior battle, either to keep the little composure she had left, or either to find what to answer. Finally, the blonde witch raised her eyes clear as crystal towards the vampire:

« Why don't you do it ? »

Spike was taken aback by the question and frowned while asking her :

« What? Do what? »

« Leave. » Tara answered. « If nothing keeps you. Why? »

Spike remained silent and finally gave her a small sad smile as only answer.

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Tara put the key in the lock and got ready to close the door but remained one instant in the opening, looking at the room impeccably lined up and consequently empty in which she had lived these last weeks. A last look and the door was locked and Tara took down both floors slowly, up to the reception, her last bag on her shoulder.  
Arrived at the bar, she tightened her key to the receptionist, then displayed a little currency in front of him. He proved count then delayed the key on its place, lined up the money and moved away without saying a word.  
Tara went outside where she was grabbed by a gentle wind which froze her up to the bones for no apparent reason. She looked on both sides of the street and was relieved to see Xander going down from his car and make her a sign.  
The young woman crossed the distance that separated her from the young man. He gave her a quick hug and indicated her to get in the car after having put her bag on the back wall seat. Then he put himselft in front of the steering wheel.

"Tara" He began on a soft tone, almost pleading.

« Xander, please » Tara answered on the same tone.

Xander looked at Tara, who was staring in the distant across the windshield and finally started the engine without saying a word.

The road up to the bus station lasted only some minutes and took place in a complete silence. When the car stopped, the young man seemed to hesitate one instant then turned to Tara:

« Tara, are you sure of … »

« Xander, please » Tara repeated as she said it earlier.

But this time, Xander refused to remain silent and resumed on a firmer tone:

« No. Let me say to you at least that I don't understand. I know that you're going through a difficult time with Will. But leaving ?»

« I need it, Xander » Tara answered simply and tried to smile. « Some time. I shall come back When I'll get better. »

Xander answered nothing when he saw the resolute face of the young woman and sighed heavily.

« Pay attention to you. » He said finally while Tara laid her hand on the handle of the door. « They'll wait for you at the bus station. I call Angel as soon as I come back home »

Tara nodded her head bravely and sketched a smile for the young man. Then they both went out of the car. Xander opened the back door, he took Tara's only bag and he went around the car to give it to her. Tara put the shoulder strap on her shoulder and Xander took her one instant in his arms.

« Thank you for everything, Xander » Tara said when they parted.

« Don't say thank you to me » the young man protested on a bitter tone. « You don't let us help you »

« Maybe because you can't»

Xander sighed sadly but answered nothing. He just watched Tara going up in the bus which pointed out Los Angeles as final destination.  
When the vehicle had disappeared from his view some minutes later, he went back up slowly in his car.

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_Next chapter coming next week!_


	3. New town, new starts

_Note : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

_Thanks to everybody for your reviews!_

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**Chapter 2: New town, new starts**

A small man was anxiously patting on his desk with his pencil and his look did not cease referring to the wall clock then to the watch at his wrist. The room he was in, was small and badly lit by a desk lamp put down on a pile of books in a dangerous equilibrium.

There was a blow on the door and the man jumped on his chair where he was hauled down just before. The door opened and a policeman appeared.

« Still not there Mr. Morris? »

The man called Morris shook his head with a weary air.

« No. Late again. »

« If they don't come, you'll have to tell … »

« I know my job Peter » the other one muttered.

« This girl is dangerous » Peter insisted. « Don't be a lax person. »

"Ok, ok" Morris told off while raising his eyes to the sky. « I follow her for months. She's on the right tracks. I know what I'm doing. »

« I say this for you, guy. They're always late. And you signal nothing. But do as you want. »

And with this, the policeman took out again and closed the door. Morris blew and looked at the clock once again. Soon nine hours would be pointed out by the needles that he looked at for the hundredth time that evening. His eyes returned then on the file put down in front of him. The photograph of a dark-haired young woman with a sullen air was stapled on a blank sheet that gave her identity summarily. Morris read the following pages absent-mindedly while sighing.

Then, the door opened again, this time with a loud crash, and Morris jumped once again.

This time, a big and brown-haired man and the young woman of the photograph had just burst into the room, obviously both out of breath.

« Almost in time» Morris muttered while making them a sign to sit down.

The man closed the door behind him and both set up in front of Morris's desk. The man itemized them and frowned, seeing the dirty, full of dust, clothes of the two new comers.

« Almost in time and wholly presentable in addition to that » he added on a sarcastic tone.

« We're really sorry. A small unexpected event. »

« Listen, Angel » Morris interrupted firmly. « Faith's situation is particular and under high surveillance. Your systematic delays are going to end up being back up. »

« I know, I know. We're sorry. » Angel repeated on a tone of excuse.

Morris moved back in his chair and his look went to Faith who looked at her hands and made her as discreet as possible.

« I do what I can for you because I trust you. I believe in you Angel. But I won't risk my career therefore. »

« We thank you Jack for what you're doing. This won't happen any more. » Angel promised.

« I warn you for her. » Morris answered. « You know that at her first misdemeanor, her probation will be abolished and she'll go back to prison. And I think like you that being so young, her place is not in prison »

« We shall be on time consequently » Angel insisted.

"Definitely " Morris said while itemizing a still silent Faith once again. « And then also try to make sure not to look like you're just going out of a brawl when you come to the police station. »

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« Why **I** had to come with you? »

Wesley raised his eyes to the sky and blew heavily.

« Cordelia, you asked me this about fifty times. »

Wesley raised his neck to try to see what blocked the circulation in front of the car in which he and Cordelia had set up. He consulted his watch then and blew once again.

« We're going to be late if this is going on » he grumbled while standing more again.

« Fifty times and I still don't have an answer » Cordelia shot back as though Wesley had not spoken.

The watcher turned to her.

« You came to accompany me » he agreed to answer. « So that I don't get bored during itinerary»

« And what about **I** get bored? Nobody is concerned about that? » Cordelia retorted.

« Obviously no » Wesley concluded.

« Can I know at least what we're going to do? »

« I've already said this to you. We're going to catch this girl at the bus station. »

« And who's she? »

« She's a friend of the scooby gang. Xander called to ask us to accommodate her during some time. »

« And what does she come to do here? »

« Take a break obviously »

Cordelia shrugged.

« A break from the city of terror, how surprising this is! Probably a girlfriend to whom he broke her heart » she grumbled.

« I don't know about it more » Wesley said. « Only Angel may have some details »

« Why 's not Angel in charge of this himself then? If he's the one who agreed to have this girl here? »

« He's to Faith's appointment »

Cordelia raised her eyes to the sky and grimaced.

« Faith. Useful »

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Tara went down from the bus, her thin baggage on her shoulder and searched a man who could match Xander's description for Wesley or Angel. There were a lot of people at the bus station and she noticed nobody who seemed to wait or to search somebody without finding. She waited for long minutes, immobile near the stopping of the bus without anybody approaching her.

Tara pouted finally while deciding to move. Her guests had perhaps simply forgotten her. Or Xander had forgotten to phone them to specify them the hour of the bus' arrival. It didn't really matter.

She made her way into the crowd, looking frantically around her. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned round roughly.

"Hey " said a big and brown-haired man who was now standing in front of her.

"Hi" Tara answered on a halting tone while itemizing the foreigner. « You're Wesley? Or Angel?»

The man nodded his head while smiling with all his teeth.

« Yes, that's right, I'm Angel. »

« Nice to meet you. I'm Tara »

« The pleasure is mine, Tara. Come with me.»

The blonde witch followed the man. This one moved away quickly from the arrival zone and took out a cigarettes pack from his pocket.

« You want one? » he offered.

"No, thank you" Tara said while shaking her head.

The man lit the cigarette and resumed walking with a quick step while throwing glances to the young woman. For an indefinable reason, this one felt very uneasy in his presence and did not cease looking around her, in case some monster flowed from darkness.

« Where are we going? » Tara asked after an instant of silence.

« Not very far » the other one answered.

He looked at her with a little more insistence and smiled.

« You're nervous, I'd say »

"A little" Tara admitted.

« Don't be. There's no reason for you to be.»

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« The bus from Sunnydale? At what time did it arrive? » Wesley asked while knocking the bar wildly. « Is it clear what I'm asking for? »

The employee behind the desk jumped lightly and turned round to look at a list hung on the wall behind her.

« About fifteen minutes ago, mister » she answered.

« Where are the passengers who went down from it? »

The woman had a small laugh.

« It was fifteen minutes ago. They left. »

« I came to catch somebody. And I don't see her. A blonde young woman. A little more than twenty years. Blue-eyed. »

« If you think I look at all persons who go down from the bus » answered him mechanically the other one.

Wesley fulminated one more time against her but turned away and took Cordelia who waited for him patiently.

« Then? » she asked.

« About fifteen minutes ago » Wesley answered, totally irritated. « Of course she didn't see her»

« Are you sure that Angel didn't finish earlier with Faith and came to take her? »

« He would have told me I think »

Cordelia pouted, giving so her opinion on this affirmation.

« Ok. Call him on his cell. I'm going to have a quick lookhereabouts. Stay here in case she comes back »

« Yes boss. » Cordelia grumbled.

The young woman took out her cell and made Angel's number while Wesley moved away from her at a quick pace, all senses on the lookout. He quicly reached a dark alley, which sank towards an industrial zone, still attentive to the slightest noise.

He didn't have to move away a very long time before a scream hit his ears. The watcher started to run as quickly as he could in the direction where the noise came from. Goingpast a fence, he stopped dead of terror when he saw a big and strong vampire, hung on the neck of a young woman he had plated to the wall behind her. Wesley started running immediately while taking out a stake from his jacket.

As he arrived near the drama's stage, he saw the vampire disappeared in dust and the body of the young woman subsided on the soil.

Wesley crossed quickly the distance between them and knelt near the young woman who held a stake in her shaking hands. Her face was pallid as death and Wesley pointed out a broad bite right away on her neck.

« You're Tara, that's right? »

The young woman nodded her head barely by way of an answer.

« I'm Wesley. You don't have to be afraid any more. Can you get up? »

Wesley put his arm under the witch's shoulders to help her to get up but when she was just standing, her legs gave in under her. Wesley caught her and raised her in his arms. Then he seized the bag of the young woman, which was lying at his feet and hurried to go back towards Cordelia.

"Tara" he said to her while giving her a quick look. « Don't lose consciousness. Stay with me »

But nothing could prevent it from happening. Wesley saw the blonde witch struggling for keeping her eyes open but her eyelids beat one or two times to end up closing up.

« Cordelia! » he howled as he almost reached the bus station.

The young woman rushed in his direction as she heard his anxious shouting.

« Wesley, it's not Angel who's… » she began.

« Ah, looks like you found her. » she finished, seeing that Wesley did not come back alone.

« Angel has just finished with Faith. He said that they're on their way. »

"Useless" Wesley answered quickly. « Call him again and tell him rather to come back to the hotel and to prepare what will be needed to cure her. She was attacked by a vampire »

Cordelia raised an eyebrow and grimaced, seeing the broad wound on Tara's neck.

« This girl comes from Sunnydale. No doubt » she commented while composing Angel's number on her cell once again.

----------------------------------------------------------

« How could this happen? » Angel asked on an energetic tone while pacing the living room in front of Wesley and Cordelia who were sat on the couch.

« There were traffic jams » Wesley explained. « We arrived late »

« Relax Angel » Faith threw from behind the bar where she ate a sandwich. « Your new protégée is going to make it. Besides, if I believe the traces I saw, she was already bitten recently»

« Another vampire girl» Cordelia commented coldly. « But hell, I get it, a fair-haired woman who comes from Sunnydale, why this would surprise me »

« Be wary she doesn't wanna put her hands on the boss » Faith said before attacking a second sandwich.

« I'm not her type » Angel grumbled.

« How can you know that? » Cordelia retorted.

« I know» Angel simply argued. Then he turned to Wesley once again. « You say she killed the vampire herself? »

Wesley nodded.

« In front of me. He had time to bite her but she succeeded to take out her stake. I guess she's used to go out with the scooby-gang »

" Yes " Angel confirmed. « It's what Xander said to me. And she's a witch »

« A witch ? » Cordelia asked grimacing.

Angel nodded again.

« She's the one who initiated Willow. »

Cordelia issued a growling of protest.

« Willow was iniate even before Faith was called to be a Slayer and long before I left Sunnydale. I saw her making her first spell. Besides, it should remind you of something. And I didn't know this girl »

"It doesn't much matter " Angel said, irritated. « A witch, she could have interesting knowledge.»

Wesley nodded thoughtfully.

« Really. A witch. It's an interesting thing. She could turn out to be useful. »

"Careful" Angel tranquilized immediately. « We won't make her take the slightest risk. Xander was very clear thereupon. I want her to come back to the gang in a single piece. »

« Then, if Xander said it! » Cordelia said, on an ironic tone.

« Buffy cares about her » Angel specified.

« And we wouldn't disappoint Queen B! » Faith concluded.

Angel sighed and threw her a black look but refrained from answering.

« This conversation stops here. It's late. You all should go to sleep. I'd watch over her. I call Sunnydale. »

His tone made it clear not to debate and no one tried. Wesley and Cordelia got up from the chesterfield and headed for the staircase, followed by Faith who took the remaining sandwiches with her.

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When Faith got up the following morning and took down the steps which led to the lobby, she found the group gathered and in big debate.

« You sure this is a good idea? » Wesley asked Angel, his tone implying that he was not at all convinced.

The vampire nodded however with confidence.

« I'm sure. She'll pull through very well »

« Hey. » Faith said, arriving near them.

« Good morning Faith » Wesley greeted her.

The Slayer perched herself on the bar and itemized both men, as well as Cordelia and Fred which both were sat on the chesterfield.

« Looks like to me you're all ready to leave. A mission? »

"More or less " Angel answered. « We have a patron to see in town. »

« I'll be ready in five minutes » Faith assured. « Time to pass by the kitchen and to slip on something more … »

Her look went down on her underpants and her docker and she concluded finally:

« Dressed. »

" Useless Faith " answered Angel. « You don't come »

« Why? » the Slayer protested.

« I have a mission for you here. »

« A mission for me? »

« Somebody has to stay here to watch over Tara »

Faith made an eloquent grimace to show her lack of enthusiasm.

« What? You're kidding me? »

« No, we can't leave her alone here. Somebody must stay »

« Why me? » Faith exclaimed.

« I prefer a girl. And I need the two others with me »

« Angel, I'm not a nurse » Faith protested vehemently once again.

« Don't worry about this. She hasn't regained consciousness yet but her state is stable and without risk. You should probably have nothing special to do. »

After this, Angel grabbed his coat, which was put down on the bar next to the Slayer and made a sign to the others to follow him. Cordelia and Fred got up and followed close on both men's heels.

« Have a good day Faith! » Cordelia said with a jolly tone.

"Bitch" Faith muttered, loud enough for the young woman to hear.

« See you later Faith. » Angel said.

« Angel! » Faith exclaimed. « Wait! »

The vampire stopped and turned to her.

« Yes? »

« And what if she wakes up? » asked the Slayer on a halting tone.

Angel smiled to her and raised his eyebrows as a sign of entertainment.

« Speak to her. Make dialogue. Girls' things »

« I don't know how to make girls' things. » Faith protested. « I'm not even a real girl. »

« Not a real girl? » Angel asked, trying to control the smile the nervousness of the young woman made appear on his lips.

« I'm a Slayer. » Faith explained.

« Slayers are girls. Believe me »

And he opened the door to follow the others who had just taken out.

« You'll go through this very well»

And the door closed again, leaving Faith upset on her bar.

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After having drunk her coffee, swallowed dozens of pancakes and doughnuts left by the rest of the group, gone to take a shower and get dressed before getting back down to eat the rest of pastries once again, Faith decided that it was time to complete the mission given by Angel.

She headed towards the room where the group had installed Tara.

The Slayer opened the door delicately and entered the room. Blinds were half drawn, but she was seeing enough.

She blew once again, seeing that the young woman still slept, at the same time of relief and boredom.

Faith drew a chair and established herself next to Tara. She opened a drawer of the dresser, which was meadows of the bed and found an old comics there. She grimaced but decided that it would still be better than nothing to help her to spend her time.

She attacked her reading while having a quick look to the injured woman from time to time. Her look remained one instant on the trace of bite Tara had on her neck. She could not help going up to look closely and saw that there were several marks.

« At least two vampires » she said for herself. « What the hell the Slayer is doing? »

Her cogitation stopped there and Faith recovered in her chair and went back to her comics.

She was at the last third when Tara moved an arm. Faith raised her eyes towards her and saw Tara's hand clutching nervously on the sheets and her eyes fluttered two or three times before remaining opened. Faith put down her book on the dresser and looked at the witch without knowing really what to do. Finally, Tara's head turned to her and the fair-haired woman had to take some seconds before clarifying her view and asking her:

« Where... where am I? »

« At Angel's » Faith answered, relieved to see that she would have been able to at least, answer one of the wait of the young woman.

The fair-haired woman nodded and turned away from her, fixing the ceiling instead.

« Do you want something? » asked Faith whom silence made uneasy.

Tara looked at her once again and seemed to think about it one second before answering.

« Some water please? »

« Nothing else? »

Tara made a sign to say no then Faith nodded and got up. She went out of the room, went down the staircase four by four and went to the kitchen where she filled a big glass of water. She used this descent to the kitchen to swallow some marshmallows and left again to where she had come from.

Tara had straightened up during her absence and Faith tightened her the glass without other form of ceremony.

"Thank you " the fair-haired woman said simply, before putting the glass to her lips and drinking some sips slowly.

Faith remained silent, looking at her, wondering once again what to do now.

« You're Faith, aren't you? »

The Slayer was unexpectedly completely taken aback by the question. She looked at Tara and frowned, wondering if she knew her or if the young woman had simply acknowledged her according to descriptions - probably not very gratifying - made by the scoobies.

« We already met? » Faith asked.

"More or less " Tara answered on a cryptic tone.

Faith frowned a little more and itemized traits of the blonde, trying to replace her without succeeding. Tara pointed out her efforts and smiled a light and a bit bitter smile.

« I... I'm not somebody people usually remembers » she said simply, mumbling lightly in the process.

Faith answered nothing and thought Tara was going to explain from where they knew each other. But the blonde added nothing more and Faith preferred asking for nothing, not wishing that she reminded her of another not very glorious episode of her stay in Sunnydale. Tara drank once again and silence fell in the room, leaving Faith particularly uneasy and at a loose end. She took the glass from Tara's hands when this one had ended up drinking and prayed that the witch would need something else, which would allow her to escape for some instants.

« Something else? »

Tara shook her head.

"No, thank you"

The fair-haired woman indented in her pillows and Faith remained standing meadows to the bed, stupid, unable to know how to act.

« I...I th...» Tara began but stopped there noting that she stuttered once again.

She cursed her nervousness, which brought back this damn stammer on the front of the stage after a so long time, and inspired heavily to try to formulate her sentence.

And there, hearing the halting voice, seeing the embarrassed gaze, which was trying to avoid hers, Faith remembered. The blonde with Willow. At the Bronze. During the exchange of body with Buffy. A wave of shame immersed her one instant and the dark-haired Slayer felt even worse comfortable than before.

« You were in prison? » Tara ended up going out.

" Yes " Faith confirmed. « I'm on probation »

"Ah " Tara said simply, still without looking at Faith.

This one felt suddenly the urge to reassure the witch on her state.

« I'm in full redemption mode. You don't have to get worried. I'm not dangerous any more. I …»

« You don't have to justifyyourself » Tara interrupted her. And she was very pleased with herself to have succeeded in saying what she wanted without stuttering once again.

Faith nodded her head and remained silent. The silence that followed seemed to her even more embarrassing than the previous. She looked around her, in search of the inspiration to take back any dialogue with the young woman. But this one soon drew her of embarrassment.

« I thi - think that I go to re - to rest now. You... you can go… »

Faith looked at Tara who had drawn the sheets almost up to her chin and had already closed her eyes.

« Ok. If you need anything, call me. I shall hear. »

---------------------------------------------------------------

« So? »

Faith raised her head from her newspaper when she heard Angel's voice. Hauled down on the lobby's couch, the Slayer hadn't even raised her head towards the group when they had crossed the door.

« How is she ? » Wesley asked.

Faith rested the newspaper meadows of her and got up.

« She regained consciousness, drank a little and went back to sleep. » Faith said.

« She's still sleeping? How long? »

« Two hours I think » Faith said, making a vague sign with her hand.

« You're sure she was ok ? » Wesley insisted. « You wouldn't perhaps have left her alone for a so long time. »

« I went regularly to see her. She's sleeping, that's all » Faith argued, a bit bored.

Wesley and Angel nodded.

« Ok, I'm going to go and see her state with Fred » the former Watcher announced. « Fred? »

The young woman nodded and both moved away towards the staircase.

« I'm going to make some coffee » announced Cordelia who came back from going to deposit her topcoat. « You want some? Angel? Faith? »

« Ok for a coffee Queen C » Faith threw.

« Thank you Cordelia » Angel answered with a nod of his head.

Cordelia disappeared at her turn towards the kitchen, leaving Faith and Angel alone.

« So? » Angel repeated after a silence he took to observe the young woman.

« I said to you » Faith answered on an evasive tone. « She's ok. »

« You knew her in Sunnydale? » Angel asked shortly.

Faith made a grimace.

« A bit. I met her once, with Red, at the Bronze. In Buffy's body. »

« And? » Angel questioned, feeling the Slayer hesitated to go farther.

« And I was distasteful. » Faith concluded.

« I was me, that's all» she added, an ounce of bitterness in her voice. « Well, that's not the worst thing I made. I didn't threaten her with death or hit her. »

« That's a good thing » Angel admitted. « So what did you do? »

Faith hesitated a second then told the vampire her short meeting with Tara at the Bronze two years earlier. When she had finished, she remained silent and stared at her hands reached in front of her, the same shame as earlier going on the surface again. Noting the absence of reaction of the vampire, she ended up raising her eyes towards him. Their looks crossed and Angel gave her a reassuring smile.

« I suggest that you offer her your apologies. »

« Excuses? For a thing just like that? » Faith exclaimed. « Anyway, I suck at apologies »

« More reason to make it. And you're very able of it. You already proved it, remember. So, apologize »

Faith grimaced, clearly pointing out her lack of will to collaborate on this idea.

« We'll see» she mumbled after one minute of silence.

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_Next chapter coming next week!_


	4. Kitchen conversations

_Note : Okay, now you know the deal : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

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**Chapter 3: Kitchen conversations**

Three weeks after her arrival, Tara seemed to begin finding some landmarks at the Hyperion. After the attack she had been victim of on the day of her arrival, she had lost quite a lot of blood, and needed to spend some days in bed. Most of the time, Wesley and Fred looked after her, allowing her to make some acquaintance with them gently.  
Fred mainly spent a lot of time with her and both young women enjoyed the other one's company, even if it was often silent. But it was not really important for any of them, silence being comfortable and their conversations, however rare they were, always interesting.  
Thanks to Fred's presence at her side, when Tara finally got up, she had been taught a lot about the habits of everybody.  
When the witch finally decided to go out of her room and to venture into the hotel, five days had passed since the incident at the bus station. Tara knew that two days would have been undoubtedly extensively enough for her to get back some forces. But she had pushed back the instant to come back in the world of the living at the farthest, as it was so good for her to feel so cosseted. Furthermore, after having lived alone during all these weeks, the fair-haired woman was not sure she would find sufficient social skills in herself to fit into this group and she really feared to feel rejected by Angel's gang. Sometimes, she even wondered why she had agreed to come here rather than elsewhere. But she knew it was probably because anywhere sometimes meant nowhere. But she had finally to resign herself to accept the judgment of Wesley who said to her that everything went well now and to confront the gang.  
And it went off much better than she had expected it. Angel was immediately concerned to put her at ease and was particularly attentive to the slightest situation where she could not be. Tara could not help thinking that Dawn, or perhaps even Buffy, had broadly insisted nearby the vampire on Tara's shyness and on the importance to put her at ease.  
Her relations with Wesley had been easy right away, on one hand because of the time he had spent with her to be sure that she went well, on the other hand thanks to the interest he had in magic and which gave them right away a point of anchoring. As for Gunn, you couldn't dream about nicer boy and he settled himself immediately as a true gentleman for her.  
The only slight problem was on the side of the girls. If her relationship with Fred had been nice and easy right away, it was a wholly another thing with Cordelia and Faith.  
Not that Cordelia was particularly unpleasant. Of course, she made some biting or clumsy comments on her clothes, her stammer or her past in Sunnydale from time to time. But she never made it with intention of hurting and every time, it had worth her a black look on behalf of all the boys, punctuated by a ' what? ' indeed surprised from her part. No, Cordelia was not so bad. And Tara suspected that the feeling of uneasiness she felt with her was only on her part, and came from the fear she had to see the former cheerleader making fun of her as in all these stories she had heard on her account. Remained Faith. And really, after three weeks in the hotel with the group, there was nothing to be said about her. Since their first meeting the day of her arrival, Tara was not sure that they indeed have opportunity to speak. The Slayer had no same timetables as her, often sleeping in the daytime and being on patrol at night in search either of some demons to kill, or of a man to take to her room for a quick fuck. And even when all the gang was gathered in research mode in the library where Tara tried to show herself under her best light, Faith stayed apart and always contented herself with the minimum to be said if somebody – and Tara particularly – spoke to her.

Research was not the only domain where Angel and his gang had appreciated the reinforcement of Tara. The witch had quickly offered her help to improve the daily of the team and even Cordelia had only been able to herself express her admiration when the fair-haired woman had put on in stoves for the first time.  
Since then, Tara had become more or less the official cook of the team and she was happy to tell herself that there was at least a domain where her talents were appreciated. Even Angel had extolled his deserve and was silently thankful to her for always thinking of bringing him some blood from the butcher without him never needing to ask for anything.  
Tara so spent a lot of time in the kitchen of the hotel, from time to time helped by Fred or even Cordelia, but mostly alone, and she appreciated this time spent with herself.

« So, you come from Sunnydale? »

Absorbed in the preparation of dinner the group would take before going out on patrol, Tara had not heard somebody approach and she could not help jumping shortly at the sound of this new voice. She turned round trying to tranquilize her pounding heart and saw Faith who was standing in the opening of the door. The Slayer raised her hands in front of her, with opened palms, as if to point out that she came without aggressive intention.

« Easy, Blondie. I didn't wanna frighten you. »

She got ahead slowly in the room, watching Tara trying to take back control of herself.

« I… I didn't hear you » Tara explained while trying to control her stammer with a relating success. « Y-You su-surprised me. »

« I got that part » Faith said, allowing a light fold of her lips.

She still went up, still with delicacy till the point she was standing enough near Tara to see what she was cooking.

« Then, what's the menu? » she asked on a tone she wanted nice.

The witch seemed to relax at this insignificant question.

« I'm cooking a calf roast » she explained. « With potatoes and cream »

The look of Faith started to shine at the witch's words, which this view ended up putting at ease.

« This looks to please you » she commented.

Faith nodded her head vehemently.

« I'm not particularly difficult. » she explained. « With the Slayer's appetite and all, I could eat anything. But I never get to eat that good before you came"

The sincerity of Faith's words was obvious and Tara was affected by the compliment.

"Thank you " she said simply.

Faith relaxed in her turn and perched on the bar next to dishes Tara prepared.

« The girls don't help you? » she asked.

« Fred was tired and Cordelia is at her place » Tara explained quickly. « And you, I don't know » she added after a time of hesitancy.

« We prepared weapons for this evening » Faith answered quickly, a bit ashamed suddenly « And I thought Fred and Queen C helped you »

"Undoubtedly "

Tara thought that Faith was probably the last person who cared to know if she needed help or not. But this wasn't important. Tara preferred undoubtedly that things were this way. She was still not very comfortable when Faith was around.

« Then, Sunnydale? » Faith asked suddenly, after a long silence she occupied to watch the fair-haired woman cooking.

« What Sunnydale? » Tara asked.

Faith was taken aback by the insurance and the sharp tone she felt in Tara's voice. Since her arrival, Faith had never heard Tara using such a firm tone with anybody. She frowned, hesitated one second then persisted in her idea:

« How are things there? » she asked once again. « I mean, Queen B? Red? Xander? Giles? »

Tara shrugged lightly but raised her head to look at Faith straight in the eye.

« We'll say that there were happier times » she said simply.

Faith answered nothing at first, still a little bit uneasy after hearing Tara's determination. But her curiosity was stronger:

« B? How's B? »

« I guess you're speaking about Buffy? » said Tara, lightly entertained. « She needs a little time to get better I think. »

Faith nodded.

« Giles left again for England » Tara added.

« Oh! »

She raised her eyes towards Faith once again, hearing her to cry so.

« This, this is a surprise » she granted.

Tara approved with a sign of her head.

« For all of us. »

The witch went back to her roast. Faith waited that she went on but nothing came. She remained there, sat on the bar, to watch at her putting the roast in the oven, peeling and cutting sweet potatoes, preparing a sauce with cream and herbs. After undoubtedly at least half an hour of complete silence between them, Faith managed to agree with herself about what she wanted to say.

« I remember you » she said finally.

"Ah " Tara answered simply without turning away from her task, looking at her even.

« It was at the Bronze » Faith went on. « I was in the Buffy's body and you, you were with Red »

Tara neither confirmed nor preempted Faith's statements, going on cooking as though Faith was not even there.

« I think… » Faith began after a silence.

« Well... I mean… I think I wasn't very nice to you that evening. » she admitted.

Silence fell once again. Tara seemed not to react but Faith could guess nonetheless that she had picked up her attention with the short look the witch had thrown her.

« Humph, I … »

Faith hesitated, turning and turning words in her head once again, not knowing how to formulate them without seeming stupid.

"I…" she began again before failing once again poorly.

A light smile appeared on Tara's face who tried to hide her entertainment from the nervousness of the Slayer. She had still never seen her in such a situation and could not help finding her tries for apologies strangely cute.

« I wanted… » the Slayer still took back, looking at her hands. « I just wanted … »

Tara hesitated over the behavior to adopt. A side of the witch found that looking at a so uneasy Faith had a very delightful side but another part of herself wanted to help her. And it was this part, which won after Faith had mumbled the beginning of a sentence for the tenth time.

« You wanted? » Tara asked mildly.

Faith raised her head and looked at Tara with astonishment.

« It was a long time ago » Tara said again on the same tone. « And I'm not very resentful. Not really. Then, let me say that you've nothing to fear by saying whatever you're planning to say. »

Faith remained one instant to consider the look and pleasant face of the witch who encouraged her to say whatever she had to say.

« I'm sorry » she gave way finally suddenly, without her really knowing from where it came.

The big benevolent smile Tara gave her was her reward.

----------------------------------------

If it had been said to her before, Faith would not have believed one second that those three words could change so many things in her relationship with someone.  
But it was however definitely true. This abscess pierced between Tara and her, both young women could felt that they were both consequently more comfortable when they were together. The change did not roughly make them inseparable friends and it was even probably indiscernible for other members of the group. But for each of them, it was obvious. Tara did not stutter any more when she spoke to Faith. She did not any more expect mockery and sarcasms from her part if she opened her mouth in her presence. As for Faith, she did not feel the need to escape Tara anymore to avoid a reproving or accusatory look from the witch whom she had so cruelly made fun of two years earlier. Which made easier for her, her greatly task to come to seep through in the kitchen when Tara was in full cooking mode and even after a time – not a long time - to stole in dishes, first inconspicuously, then openly in front of Tara which made as if to reprehend her while Faith gave her a perfectly innocent face.

« I need my energy » Faith argued while knocking her stomach with contentment. « I'm a Slayer. I have more appetite than average »

Tara smiled then and let her do. She had already could see what was a Slayer's appetite in Buffy's presence but nothing compared to Faith on that matter. Tara tried unsuccessfully to increase regularly the doses of what she prepared, but nothing seemed to overcome the appetite of the dark-haired Slayer, and dishes always returned emptied in the kitchen.

« Faith, could you help me, please? » Tara asked suddenly after Faith spent two complete weeks to look at her cook, stuck on the bar.

« Help you? » Faih asked and frowned. « In what? »

« Obviously, cooking » Tara answered on an ironic tone.

« Cooking? » Faith asked. « You undoubtedly mean, carry dishes, set the table, open bags? »

Tara smiled at her with entertainment.

« No. Cook. Take a knife. Cut, wear thin, hack, blend, season. That sort of thing »

« I don't think that's a very good idea, Blondie » Faith answered still without moving. « Cooking's not really my thing »

Tara raised her eyes to the sky.

« I know, I know the refrain. Your thing is to kill creatures of darkness. And I guess that not, cooking is not a Slayer's thing »

Faith bent an eyebrow at this remark.

« What, Queen B's not a perfect cook? Careful, Tara, you're going to make a myth fall »

Tara smiled more broadly and tried to remember a concluding try from Buffy in a kitchen. But in spite of all her efforts, nothing came back to her.

« No, Buffy neither was not so good in a kitchen. »

Faith tilted her head on the side, pointing out that she was thinking about that.

"Not surprising" she ended up saying. « With a mother as hers, no need to cook. Joyce was a killer in a kitchen »

« You know, my mother also was a 'killer ' in a kitchen and liked to make us courses. And that doesn't prevent me from cooking myself »

Faith shook her head and remained thoughtful one second, letting the words of the fair-haired woman immerse herself.

« Therefore, I guess that the past in this sentence means that your mother also died? » she asked abruptly.

Tara shook lightly and nodded her head without looking at the Slayer who regretted her question one second. But without her really knowing why, Faith felt grow her curiosity in for Tara.

« And the rest of your family? » she asked trying to soften her tone.

« My mother died when I was seventeen» Tara answered finally still without looking at the Slayer. « And I… I don't see very often my father and my brother »

« You've got a brother? » Faith exclaimed on an almost enthusiastic tone. « Younger or older? »

« A little older »

« This must be very cool to have a brother » Faith commented thoughtfully and without noticing the slight quiver in Tara's shoulders. « I might have turned less badly if I'd had a brother. »

« Humph, perhaps » Tara answered absent-mindly while Faith seemed to imagine the brother she never had.

Taken in her fantasy, she didn't notice the dark air Tara tried to hide by concentrating on her cooking.

-------------------------------

Cordelia parked her car in front of the hotel with delicacy. She then went down and caught several bags carrying the mark of big stores while Tara and Fred went down of the vehicle. Both girls relieved Cordelia of several bags and the three young women climbed up the steps to the hotel door that Cordelia pushed.  
Faith and Gunn both were sat in suit on the couch, cleaning weapons. Gunn had a broad cut on his left forearm and the new comers could realize that Faith's face was badly bruised when this one turned her head to them.  
Cordelia grimaced and passed in front of the chesterfield while Tara and Fred stationed themselves in front of Gunn and Faith.

« You look like shit Faith » Cordelia said on a casual tone while she put her bags on the bar.

« Are… are you ok? » Tara asked quietly while checking out the Slayer's face.

« What happened? » questioned Fred while sitting down on the ledge of the chesterfield.

« Demons' attack obviously » Faith answered ironically.

« In broad daylight? » Tara asked.

« Hey yes » Faith forced in a half smile. « These demons respect no rule. »

« And you girls? This shopping? » Gunn asked by turning to Cordelia.

« Oh, my God! » the young woman exclaimed. « It was really time that somebody takes Tara out in the world, you could think she had never seen a store in her life! a real store I mean. Not these greasy spoons of Sunnydale … »

Fred, Faith and Gunn turned to the witch with a small embarrassed smile.

« Cordelia is sometimes just like that » Gunn explained with an apologizing smile. « She's kinda lacking tact. »

Cordelia deeply turned to Tara then to Gunn with a stunned look, searching any obviousness where she made an odd.

"It's nothing " Tara said trying to show a reassuring smile. « She's not really wrong. I never came in such a big city before. »

"See" Cordelia confirmed on a sure tone.

Gunn and Fred exchanged a look and a knowing smile.

"Therefore " Cordelia added

And she launched into the listing of shops in which she had led her two friends away. Nobody were listening any more when Angel appeared in the room, followed nearly by Wesley.

« Then girls, this exit in city? » the vampire asked when he saw the put together group.

« Cordelia had already told us everything » Faith hastened to specify. « You should have arrived earlier »

Angel looked alternately at Cordelia who had opened her mouth to launch into a new diatribe on her shopping afternoon between girls, and at Faith who looked at him with an air challenging him to ask Cordelia to begin her tale again.

« Definitely, I'm sure it was brilliant » he resigned himself. « I have news » he added just after.

Everybody's attention turned to him

« News? » Gunn questioned. « Bad news? »

« No. Rather good. The entire group is invited this weekend in the residence of the Bradley family. »

« The Bradley family? »

« A rich family who wants to thank us for helping them some months ago » Angel answered. « They own a superb villa some hours across from LA and give a big reception there tomorrow evening. And they would really like if we were present. »

« Brilliant! » Cordelia enthusiastically exclaimed. « For once this work gives us a little of entertainment. »

« « It would be opportune that we get all dressed up » specified Angel.

« Perfect! » Cordelia went on. « I have all that anyone needs for this and the dresses I made buy to these young ladies should be good. I must have a sixth sense for this type of things » she finished, obviously very content with herself.

She was silent one second and considered the assembly around her.

« You boys, should all owe allowable costumes. Remains Faith problem … »

Her look fell on the Slayer and her white cotton docker and washed-out blue jeans.

« What Faith problem? » the girl spat out.

« I should have a dress to lend you so that you don't stand out like a sore thumb. »

Faith threw her a bloody look but Wesley interrupted any bloody answer she would have been able to prepare.

« There's no Faith problem » He made indifferently. « Faith won't come. »

« What? » Faith muttered, trying to feign indifference.

« Why? » Cordelia questioned on an incredulous tone. « This would make her the biggest good to see something else than monsters and a bunch of freaks running after monsters. »

« Thank you for your solicitude Quenn C » Faith said on a caustic tone and raised her eyes to the sky.

« Faith has her appointment with Morris tomorrow evening. Angel called him to ask him to delay it to Monday, but he was intractable. Therefore she can't leave the city. »

« Not a problem » Faith threw with an unconcerned air while sinking comfortably in the armchair. « I and society events anyway … »

« Well with the face you have to wear, it may be for the best that you stay here » Cordelia added.

New murderous look from Faith, which the former cheerleader accepted by answering with an entertained grin.

« But you… you are going to stay here all alone? » asked then Tara.

« Don't worry for me Blondie, I can handle myself. I shall order pizzas »

« I could… Maybe I could stay here also? » Tara said while turning to Angel and Wesley.

« Tara, I think that Faith.. » Angel began.

« I would keep her company » Tara interrupted. « And then I don't know these people, I'm not really part of the group … »

« Our home is your home » Angel said to her firmly. « As long as you are here, we consider you as part of the group. »

« It's all good Tara » Faith added. « I can really handle myself »

Tara turned to Faith one second.

« I'm sure » she answered her with a half smile, before turning once again her little worried face towards Angel and Wesley. « But I really think I'd prefer staying »

The vampire and the watcher exchanged a look.

« Good. As you want Tara » Angel concluded.

« Preferring a whole weekend alone with Faith rather than a party in a manor in the campaign? » Cordelia concluded on a sarcastic and incredulous tone. « I knew this girl was crazy. »

-------------------------

_Next chapter coming next week !_


	5. Doing girlie things : a 'Faith' evening

_Note : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

* * *

**Chapter 4: Doing girlie things (A 'Faith' evening)**

* * *

" Careful with the chest of my car " shouted Cordelia on an almost hysterical tone when she saw Gunn insisted a little too much to her own taste to make room for an additional bag into the chest.

The young man turned to her, hands on his hips, an exasperated air plated on his face.

« Girls, do you know we're leaving for less than three days? » He asked to Cordelia who seemed to supervise operations, and to Fred who smiled with entertainment from behind her.

« We're ready? » Wesley asked as he went down the steps of the hotel.

« Just a bag left and it's good » explained Gunn while pressing on the aforementioned bag once again.

« I'll drive » Cordelia asserted with force immediately. « At least the first half of the road. »

Then she joined gesture to her words and settled herself in front of the steering wheel. Gunn slammed the chest, which made jump the young woman and have a sigh of exasperation. Then he sat in the back of the car, soon imitated by Wesley and Fred who was situated in the middle.

« What's Angel doing? » Muttered Cordelia.

« He's giving some recommendations to Faith I guess »

Cordelia raised her eyes to the sky.

« My God, they're big girls! »

-----------------------------------------

« Be nice to her » was actually recommending Angel to Faith on the other side of the door. « Don't leave her alone all day while she stays to keep you company »

Faith blew and grimaced in order to show openly as this advice bored her intensely.

« Ok Faith » granted Angel. « I know that you're not a kid but you're not always easy. Make an effort with her … »

« Angel, I've already promised you to be a nice girl a good dozen of times » protested Faith. « Then go before Queen C comes to drag your ass herself to the car. »

An imperious klaxon blow then made itself heard and the Slayer addressed an understanding smile to the vampire.

« Ok. We come back in two days. Think to your appointment with Morris »

« I shall think to Morris. I shall be nice with Tara and I shall help her to wash the dishes. Anything else? »

"Ok, ok" accepted Angel while putting down his hand on the knob. « Be careful. »

« We'll be okay. And you, have a good time »

Angel nodded his head and threw a small sign to Faith before rushing to the car which waited for him.

Faith watched the vehicle disappearing and came back into the hotel.

-----------------------------------------

« They'd just left » Faith said from the door.

Tara raised her head from the book she was reading, sat at a table in the library.

« I saw » she answered slowly. « By the window » she specified.

Faith nodded her head.

« I have some hours before going to see officer Morris. You've got plans? »

Tara indicated books around her.

« I thought I'll work a bit » she answered. « Make what you have to do. Don't bother you about me »

Faith hesitated one second then nodded.

« Good. I would be in the training room if you need me »

« Okay. » approved Tara.

And the fair-haired woman went back to her book. Faith noticed her some instants and when she noted that the witch did not pay any attention to her any more, she went out and went to the training room.

Both young women each attended to their occupations during all afternoon. Finally, at about five o'clock, Tara appeared in the doorway of the training room where Faith were giving blows with feet and fists with rage in the striking bags. Tara stared one instant to the body shining with sweat of the Slayer and to her resolute face while she trained before letting her know she was there.

« Faith … »

The young woman stopped her movements immediately and turned to her.

« A problem? » she inquired.

« No, no » answered right away Tara. « It's just that it's past five o'clock. You should perhaps think of getting ready for your appointment soon. »

Faith looked at the wall pendulum and stifled a swearword when she realized that Tara was saying the truth.

« I should take a shower » she said while going past Tara, and she climbed four by four the staircases up to the first floor.

« Ok, I wait for you in the lobby » Tara said while Faith had already disappeared from sight.

The Slayer was not very long. Less than half an hour later, she was back in the lobby, her hair still wet and all newly and clothed.

« It' so better » Tara mildly commented.

Faith smiled at her in return.

« I'd rather go if I don't wanna be late »

« I come with you » said Tara while getting up from the chesterfield where she had settled while waiting for the Slayer.

« What? » Faith asked, surprised. « Angel asked you for this? »

« What? » made Tara, disconcerted by the question. « No, no. I just want to come. Hum… if this doesn't bother you »

Faith tipped up her head to the side and seemed to study the question.

« As you want » she said finally.

Both young women set off and walked at a quick pace along noisy and crowded streets. Faith knew only too well the way up to Morris' office and it was only in about fifteen minutes on foot of the Hyperion.

« This won't be very interesting » Faith commented while she pushed the door of the police station.

« It's not important » Tara answered simply.

They crossed several halls and nobody paid attention to them. Finally, Faith knocked to a door on which a hurdy-gurdy plates pointed out 'officer Jack Morris'. A not very ceremonious 'enter ' came to them and Faith pushed the door resolutely and entered the room. Morris jumped when he saw her. He apparently didn't expect to see her crossing the door.

« Faith! » he exclaimed with astonishment.

He looked at the pendulum hung above the door, then to the watch at his wrist.

« You're on time! And correctly dressed! That's a surprise! »

The inspector Morris looked with curiosity at the blonde young woman who accompanied Faith and who was shyly standing behind her.

« A friend of yours? » he asked while making them sign to sit down.

Faith made a vague sign with her head while both women settled in armchairs faced to Morris.

"Tara Maclay" introduced Faith by indicating the witch with her chin.

"Tara" Morris smiled at her. « You should come more often if you take her to me in time and presentable »

Tara's lips got creased in a light smile while Morris looked at her warmly.

« Okay, let's start ? » Faith complained.

-----------------------------------------

When both girls went out of the police station about one hour later, Faith could not suppress a frank smile to appear on her face while they walked at a quiet step on streets consequently quieter now.

« What amuse you Blondie? » Faith asked while turning to Tara and seeing the entertained smile on her face.

Tara gave her a nice grin.

« Actually it's you. »

« Me? » Faith asked with entertainment. « Me, I amuse you? »

Tara nodded her head.

« You look very happy and proud of you. I had still never seen you just like that. That's all »

Tara gave her a big smile which Faith returned her without hesitancy.

« Good then » said the Slayer. « 'Cause I either had never seen you smiling so frankly since your arrival »

Immediately, the smile in question left Tara's face.

« Hey! » made Faith by stopping dead in her tracks. « I didn't say this for you to stop. It was rather a good remark you know? At least in my head it was actually. But sometimes, I don't say things the right way I think them »

Tara smiled once again, hearing the words quick and complicated from the Slayer and both women resumed walking.

« It's better like that » approved Faith.

« What about you saying to me what put you in a so good mood? »

« Barely one hour! » Faith exclaimed with a satisfied air. « Morris is right, you should come more often, you obviously put him in a good mood. »

« If you want » answered Tara simply.

« If I want what? » asked a frowning Faith.

« I would come, if you want » Tara slowly explained.

Faith stopped once again and looked at Tara with disbelief.

« You speak seriously? You would come with me? »

Tara shrugged.

« I just said it to you. Yes »

Faith bent a questioning eyebrow.

« It's just that's not very exciting » she said with hesitancy.

« It lasts only one hour and it's only once a week »

Faith seemed to think about the question.

« Ok. If the boss agrees, it would be nice »

Tara nodded her head and smiled once again to the slayer who resumed walking again.

« Okay, Tara, what do you want to do tonight? We have all the evening above us »

« I… I really don't know. I usually remain quiet with a good book »

« And I usually kill vampires » answered Faith merrily. « I offer that we make unusual stuff. We could go out? »

« Go out? »

« Yes, yes! I know » A suddenly overexcited Faith exclaimed. « I'm going to take you to Lorne's bar. « It's a demon bar but no worry, no danger. And you will be with me. It's a karaoke bar … »

" I know " Tara answered mildly. « Fred spoke abit to me about it »

« I heard that you had a nice voice. It will be an opportunity for me to hear that »

« I… I don't think so Faith. I don't think I can sing publicly »

« You will be able. Angel said to me that Sunnydale had spent two days singing any time, anywhere. »

« It was the effect of a demon » countered Tara.

" Any importance " swept Faith with a wave. « You'll see, you'll forget parties with the scoobies, I am going to take you to have a good time. We'll eat, we'll drink, we'll dance, we'll sing. It'll be nice »

Tara was going to open her mouth to protest once again but Faith put down a dissuasive finger on her lips.

« And it is not open to debate. This evening, I'm the one who's inviting »

----------------------------------

Nonetheless what she had already seen in Sunnydale, Tara could not help feeling a bit impressed and scared when she arrived at Lorne's bar. Even trying to be as meadows of Faith as she could, she did not cease throwing discreet looks into all directions. Faith ended up pointing it out and let get away a scoffing smile.

« Don't worry Blondie. Nobody will bother you here. Especially not with you being with the Slayer. You risk nothing »

Tara tried to get even closer to Faith not to be jostled by a demon whose skin had an indefinable aspect but which said to her nothing good. Faith drew her by the arm against her.

« Don't worry » she repeated. « You risk nothing with me »

Tara nodded her head shyly and both young women took back their progress in the crowd, Faith drawing Tara behind her.  
Finally Lorne was within sight and he came immediately to their meeting when he saw Faith.

« Faith! » he exclaimed merrily. « It was a long time. You're alone? »

Then he pointed out Tara who was inconspicuously standing behind the Slayer.

« Obviously not. » he said.

« This is Tara » introduced Faith. Then turning to Tara. "This is Lorne"

Tara grabbed shyly the demon's hand.

« Delighted to meet you » she said simply.

« The pleasure is mine, delightful young lady. » Lorne answered, obviously entertained by her bashfulness. « Will you please me and sing? »

Tara shook her head and opened the mouth to explain her refusal but Faith outstripped her.

« It seems that Tara has a great voice » she explained. « I am impatient to hear that. »

Tara grimaced and got ready to protest but Lorne turned suppliants eyes to her.

« Come on, Tara, you cannot refuse this to me ? »

« I … »

But the witch stopped when she saw Lorne's begging air and could not help smiling.

"Agreed " She gave in. « If Faith also sings » she added quickly.

« What? » the interested exclaimed.

Lorne smiled greatly at Tara, obviously very happy with this idea.

« It's a honest deal. » he said while looking at Faith.

Faith crossed her arms and got a resolute face on.

« No matter what, I won't sing » she asserted.

« Even Angel sings » argued Lorne while iterating his charming look on the black-haired Slayer.

Not seeing her resolution sagging, he decided to opt for another tactics.

« Meal offered for both of you? » he said.

Faith was instantly more interested.

« Offered meal? Everything we want? »

« All that you want » Lorne confirmed.

Faith seemed to think one instant about the offer then finally knocked in the hand of the demon.

« THAT's a deal »

-----------------------------------

Once her turn of singing ended, Faith went down fast from the podium and joined Tara who waited for her bedding at a small table at some steps of the stage and looked at her, an appreciative light in her eyes.

« Then? » Faith asked by sitting down and by attacking her plate full of fries once again.

« You are not as bad as you pretend it » Tara slowly answered. « It was even rather good. »

Faith nodded her head.

« I have hidden skills » she answered while swallowing a new scoop of fries under the entertained look of Tara. « Next turn is yours. What are you going to sing? »

« I thought about ' Full of grace ' by Sarah Maclachlan ' »

Faith raised her head towards her, a light surprise on her face.

« It's not very joyful. »

"No, it's not" answered simply Tara.

She added nothing and in front of her thoughtful air, Faith remained silent too, preferring not stressing the subject. When it was her turn, Tara got up simply and went up on the stage without adding a word. When she seized the microphone and music rose in the room, Lorne came to sit down on the chair left vacant by the witch. He leaned comfortably against the chair's back and listened with attention while the witch's soft voice made itself heard clear.  
One instant later, Faith raised her nose from her plate to look at Tara. She had expected to find the eyes of the fair-haired woman in her direction, in search of any sign of approbation from her part. But it was nit the case. The witch seemed completely absorbed by her song and her look derived towards the bottom of the room where it did not fix any point particularly. Faith stared at her one instant then went back towards her fries while keeping listening to Tara with attention. An abrupt movement made her raise her head once again and turn to Lorne. She saw that the demon were now looking at Tara with a very particular attention, and he had hold up his head forward to itemize her carefully.

« What? » she asked him abruptly.

Lorne did not answer and his attention remained entirely tense towards Tara. He relaxed in his seat once again only when the voice of the blonde witch finished the last notes. Faith immediately tried again.

« What? » she repeated. « What did you see? »

« She's suffering » Lorne answered while turning to her.

Faith pleated her eyes, shared between incredulity and entertainment.

« No need of your super demony powers to see this. This girl is practically trailing around with a sign ' I suffer ' hung in her back »

« Perhaps » answered simply Lorne before turning to Tara who came towards them at a quick pace.

Faith frowned lightly whe she saw the lack of reaction from the demon to her sarcasms but had no time to question him once again as he got up to return her place to Tara.

« It was wonderful dear » he assured her. « I hope I'll have the pleasure to hear you sing later or another time »

Tara smiled at him shyly and thanked him politely under the attentive eye of Faith who finished at the same time gulping down the dish of fries given by Lorne.

« Faith, tell to Angel to come by one of those evenings »

The Slayer nodded her head and the demon addressed them a last greeting before moving away. Tara took back her chair and drank a big glass of water while itemizing plates and flat spaces on the table.

« You have already eaten everything ? » she asked with a not secretive surprise.

Faith nodded her head vigorously.

« These fries were great » she asserted. « But don't worry Blondie, nothing can compete with your potatoes with cream. »

Tara could not help smiling by seeing the almost dreamy look on the Slayer's face at the thought of aforementioned potatoes.

« If you're a good girl, I would make some to you tomorrow evening » offered Tara

« I wouldn't say no » said Faith. « But Angel definitely specified me not to abuse you »

« I'm the one offering here » Tara reminded.

« Definitely, then potatoes it is » Faith smiled.

Then she turned to the bottom of the bar where some vampires and demons tried to agitate their ugly bodies on the music which broadcast the Caritas. Faith got up and tightened her hand to Tara.

« It's about time for us to go to dance and to show to those vampires how we dance nowadays »

Tara considered the hand with hesitancy and grimaced.

« I… I don't really like to dance Faith. I'm not really a dancer you know … »

« Come on, Tara. You know nobody here. Just let go a bit »

But the blonde witch shook her head once again.

« No, I…I don't think so… »

The Slayer retracted her hand and showed a little disappointed pout.

« As you want. See you later then. »

And on that, she turned on her heels. To stop even before having crossed two meters while the Tara's voice hit her ears.

« Faith, you… you promised not to leave me alone here. You can't leave me alone »

A big smile of contentment appeared on the dark-haired Slayer's face. Smile that she applied to erase when she turned to the witch once again.

« If you don't want to stay alone in the middle of this demon bar, you have no choice, you must come with me » she asserted in the most serious tone she could.

"Faith " pleaded Tara in a plaintive voice.

« Except if you prefer having vampires or … »

Faith considered a demon with red and granular skin who went past her and grimaced at the sickening smell which freed from him.

« or evil-smelling demons hitting on you. Of course, it would perhaps be better than coming to dance with me. »

"Faith " pleaded Tara once again. « I don't know how to dance »

The Slayer smiled and re-went through the two meters that separated her from the witch and seized her wrist resolutely.

« At the end of that night, you'll know »

---------------------------------

And at the end of the night, she knew. Well, almost. Of course, Tara would never dance as Faith, she was completely aware of that. It was difficult to say if it was more her clumsy body or her too serious mind that prevented her from following the hips movements of the former rogue Slayer, but a thing was sure: Tara COULD NOT dance as Faith.  
But however, after some hours to follow Faith's advices and the rhythm, the halting and clumsy movements of the witch at the beginning of the night ended up being absolutely forgotten.

And it was each very satisfied with herself that they left ' the Caritas ' at a very advanced time in the night. On the way back, Faith did not miss to assert high and strong to what extent she had had every reason to push the witch on the lane and to tease her on her first reservations under the forgiving look of the interested, too much tired to think of arguing.  
The Slayer also had to use herself to dust two vampires who thought they would make them their last night preys of the night. Later, she caught the witch who had stumbled against the sidewalk, before she spread out all her length on the soil. She even managed to suppress a scoffing laugh in front of the exhaustion of the young woman who barely stood on her legs.  
It was the last incident before they reached the hyperion.

« My God, I'm exhausted » said Tara while climbing the stairs. « I would never have thought that dancing could claim so much energy »

« You understand why I eat so much » Faith joked.

« This Slayer's stamina is incredible, you're fresh as a daisy while I feel as I could sleep hundred years »

« Being a Slayer has some good sides » Faith confirmed.

Both girls stopped in front of Tara's door.

« Well, I stop there » said Tara simply. "Good night "

Faith nodded her head simply and seemed to hesitate over something to say while Tara remained motionless in front of her door, the hand on the doorknob.

« And thank you » added finally Tara with a light smile. « Thank you for this night, Faith »

Faith smiled at her in return and planted her hands profoundly in her pockets before giving Tara a strange look.

« Good night Tara » She said simply while the witch opened her door.

Then she turned on her heels and joined her own room.

-------------------------------

_Next chapter coming next week !_


	6. Doing girlie things : a 'Tara' evening

_You probably already know the thing, but just in case you don't : _

_Note : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

* * *

**Chapter 5 : Doing girlie things (a 'Tara' evening)**

* * *

When Tara opened her eyes the following day, the sun was already high in the sky and it was the brightness in the room, which drew her from, sleep. She turned to the nightstand where was her clock radio and jumped up literally on her bed when she saw it displayed meadows of eleven o'clock in the morning. She stood up and leaned against the head of the bed, listening around her, trying to figure if Faith was awake. Hearing nothing, the witch got up and undertook to gather clean clothes and her toilet equipment before disappearing in the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Tara took down the staircases of the hotel and put on in search of Faith.  
She found her where she had expected to find her: in the kitchen. The Slayer was settled to the table, a smoking cup in front of her as well as several limp pasteboard whose contents Tara could not distinguish.  
Faith greeted her with a big smile.

« Sleeping beauty finally got up? »

« You up for a long time? » Tara questioned while sitting at the table next to her.

Faith nodded her head and indicated the contents of the table.

« Slayers don't usually need a lot of sleep you know. And I was hungry. I went to buy doughnuts. And I made some coffee »

"Thanks a lot " said Tara helping herself to some coffee prepared by Faith for her.

Then Tara chose a doughnut among dozens brought back by Faith and noticed her with entertainment gulping them down one after the other while herself found it difficult to overcome of one.

« Your relationship with food is incredible » she commented.

« Two years in prison can make that to a girl »

« It was hard? »

Faith raised her head with astonishment and suspended her gesture which was going to bring a new doughnut in her mouth.

« What? » she asked more abruptly that she had intended.

" Prison " specified Tara. « But you don't have to answer you know » she added quickly.

Faith shrugged with a forced carelessness.

« It was not that bad finally. » she began thoughtfully. « Fed, accommodated. Nobody to piss me off. Me, alone with myself. »

Faith was silent one second and seemed to go back to the closed world which had been hers these last years, before resuming.

« And then, I'm the Slayer. A Slayer at least. I could defend myself »

Tara nodded her head thoughtfully.

« Since when did you go out? » asked once again the witch.

« When you arrived here, it was a little more than two months. I can't leave California and must see Morris once a week, but with Angel who agreed to take care of me, it's not so bad to be outside … »

Faith was still silent and her attention got away some seconds once again.

« Another doughnut? » she asked after a silence.

* * *

While Tara had decided to spend the day working not to take too much delay in her studies with the aim of a possible return to the university, Faith spent her day hanging out outside, leaving the witch in the quiet empty hotel. She had not specified what she intended to do and Tara was not sure that she knew it herself.  
It was the first time since her arrival that Tara found herself all alone at the Hyperion. Without being really nervous or frightened, the witch felt a light feeling of illness at the idea of being so alone in the vast hotel. She concentrated however on her lessons and her books till seven pm, at the time she decided to go to the kitchen to begin to cook the dinner in spite of the absence of the Slayer. Faith reappeared more than one hour later and found the witch still in the kitchen. Tara raised her head from the dish in which she had planted a fork nonchalantly when she heard the steps of the Slayer approaching. Tara could not suppress a small shouting of surprise when she saw Faith : her clothes were covered with dust, a bit torn by places. Her face was spattered with earth and she had a nosebleed. But she gave Tara a reassuring smile immediately.

« Don't worry, Blondie » she threw simply with a wave of her hand. "It's nothing "

« Where were you? » asked Tara shortly.

Faith went up to the bar and perched on a footstool before itemizing the content of the dishes in front of her.

« I made a detour by a graveyard on my way home » the Slayer answered by sniffing the good smell around her. « I killed some vampires just to open my appetite to honor your preparation » she added, smiling at the witch.

« I was a bit anxious » Tara pointed out by turning round towards spices to catch the pepper there and top it up in the dish in front of her.

Faith who had begun to attack the meal with the fork left by Tara the former instant, raised her head shortly at the words of the fair-haired woman and suspended her fork at a mi - distance of her mouth.

« Why? » she asked with astonishment. « I'm the Slayer, you know. »

« I didn't think that you would come back so late » Tara explained.

Faith shrugged.

« You never know what you can find when you're the Slayer. I couldn't guess » she explained by cleaning off her fork of potatoes in her mouth.

Tara went around the bar to go up to her and took out a handkerchief from her pocket. Then she approached it to the Slayer's face to wipe the blood which poured of her nose. Instinctively, Faith recoiled.

« What the hell are you doing? »

Tara agitated the handkerchief under her nose with an entertained air.

« I thought it was kinda obvious! You're making fall blood in the dish. »

Faith raised her head and moved away from the mentioned dish before getting up

« Sorry. I think I would better go to take a shower before dinner »

And she moved away immediately.

« Keep me some, Blondie! »

« I think there's enough to feed a Slayers' army! » Tara shouted in her direction while Faith had already taken up the stairs four by four.

« But I'm sure you'll eat everything all alone » she muttered then to herself.

* * *

When Faith went down once again, her hair still wet, barely ten minutes later, she found the kitchen plunged into darkness and any trace of neither the smoking dish nor of blonde witch which she had left there when she had left to take a shower. Faith frowned and went out of the kitchen in search of the fair-haired woman.

« Tara? »

Acquiring no answer as she had expected it, Faith took back up the stairs once again and headed directly to the witch's room. Faith took a deep inspiration and lightly knocked.

« Come in Faith »

The Slayer obeyed and found Tara sat on her bed, the dish of potatoes and two plates put down on a tray near her.

Faith frowned again but approached nevertheless after having taken care of closing the door behind her

« What's the program? » she asked.

Tara gave her a new smile and invited her to sit down.

« I thought that as yesterday evening, it was you who invited me for party, this evening it was my turn to invite you »

Faith's frown of eyebrows got more marked.

« In your room? » she asked on an incredulous tone.

Tara could not suppress a small laugh in front of the confused air of the dark-haired Slayer.

« Yesterday, you took me to dance outside. This evening, we stay quiet here and do something I like. » explained Tara.

« Which is ? »

« Meal on a tray in front of the TV? » the witch specified.

« Not really my habit » muttered Faith. « But I guess I have to accept if I wanna eat? »

Tara nodded her head merrily.

« And I'm starving » concluded Faith while approaching again.

Tara's smile grew wide and she moved over lightly towards the wall to make room to the Slayer who settled herself there. Tara grabbed both plates and filled heartily Faith's one before tighten it to her. The Slayer did not loose time before attacking her part and devoured it literally while Tara had barely started hers. Tara served her again immediately before grabbing the remote control of the recorder put down next to her.

« Can I play the movie? » she asked, turning to Faith, still absorbed by her plate.

The Slayer nodded her head.

« What did you pick? »

« I really didn't know what you would like and there's not so much choice in the hotel, then I took science fiction. Starwars »

« It's okay for me » approved Fath. « Even if I have already watched it a good dozens times »

« I… I have never seen it » Tara admitted.

« You never watched this? » Faith almost shouted. « Where do you come from ? Planet Mars? And still, I'm sure it's a hit on Mars also. »

« I… I didn't exactly watch television when I was a child » Tara started to explain. « And after that, I probably didn't have an occasion. »

Faith sketched a smile and took over the remote control to press on the reading button in a resolute gesture.

"Then" she admitted. « I saw it for the first time only in prison. It's not that recent. »

With this, Faith served again herself potatoes for the third time and sank a little more comfortably against the bed head. Tara rested her empty plate on the tray, used a glass of water before mirroring Faith's position on her own side of the bed. The noise of the movie played on the television's screen of Tara's room, and the one of Faith's jaws finishing the meal up to the last crumb, were the only audible sounds in the room during meadows one hour. When the half of Starwars was overtaken and Faith had finished to eat for some minutes, she turned roughly to Tara.

« Why are you here? » she asked abruptly, without Tara knowing exactly what she was speaking about.

The witch turned her head to her companion and frowned her eyebrows as a sign of incomprehension.

« What? »

« I mean » resumed Faith while diverting her eyes towards the television once again, « why are you acting like this? 'Cause you don't know me? You don't know who I am? »

« I know who you are Faith » Tara answered mildly. « And I don't see what's your point here"

Faith shrugged nonchalantly and feigned a considerable interest for Luke's, Leai's and the others' adventures, while she resumed.

« I mean: you come from Sunnydale. We already almost met there. You probably heard about me. You know what a monster I am. And you act as nothing happened. You invite me to come to watch a movie in your room, you cook me my favorite meal, as if I was just a good girl on whom you can rely. As though trust was not even a question »

Faith was silent one second but did not look at the witch who fixed her intensely and whose look she could felt pressing on her.

"The others" resumed Faith in her breath. « The others have never forgotten who I am. I felt their distrust when they're with me. They wanna help me, but in the back of their head, I know there is this warning twinkling: ' Attention, she's a murderer, she can be dangerous. She can break lead once again '. The girls never stay alone with me. And even Angel watches over me as the milk on fire. »

New silence and new look fixed on colored pictures of galaxy far far away that Faith did not really see.

« But not you. You, you stayed, you're there. And you treat me, as I was your friend. Why? »

This time, Faith turned to Tara, ready to see her displaying all anxiety which she would have hidden 'till there, ready to see her face scared by the husky and low tone Faith had used during her diatribe. She expected to see her recoil lightly, as all those people to whom she got too much meadow had tendency to do, consciously or subconsciously, she didn't really know.  
But she saw nothing of that kind in the blonde witch's attitude. Tara smiled at her, with a light and almost timid smile, which gave Faith the feeling that her heart turned over in her chest. Then Tara put down her hand simply on her shoulder and shrugged lightly.

« You ask me why I'm not afraid of you? You ask me why I treat you as a friend? »

The witch's blue eyes were planted in the Slayer's brown ones. Faith nodded her head, almost with hesitancy, confirming her question so. Tara's smile became franker and Faith felt her grip her shoulder lightly in her hand.

« I'm not afraid of you Faith, that's just a fact. And I treat you as a friend because it's the way I see you. »

« I have never been anybody's friend » the Slayer retorted, almost roughly.

If Tara was shocked or destabilized by Faith's caustic tone, she showed nothing. Her smile did not falter and she did not withdraw the hand of Faith's shoulder in spite of the Slayer's recoil movement.

« A first time is needed in everything » she answered simply.

* * *

When Faith woke up the following morning, she had the surprise while running on her side as she was used to by waking up, to tip over to the void and to hit the ground violently, some dozens lower centimeters with a matt noise. The Slayer straightened up immediately on her back and looked around her frantically. She noticed she still wore the same tracksuit as the evening before, the one she had threaded by going out from the shower. And she wasn't in her room. Raising her head a little more, she was able to see Tara who slept at the other extremity of the bed, which she had just fallen from, still dressed too. Faith frowned and tried to gather her memories in her spirit still clouded by sleep. A glance to the video recorder on which flashed the message ' end of tape ' reminded her their video evening at first, and then that they had let the movie play without really worrying about it while Faith had interrogated Tara about the reasons which urged the witch to behave as a friend with her.

The answer came back to her at the same time as the question, and Faith turned again her head to the blonde lager whom she observed her chest lifting up itself in regular intervals in her sleep during some time. Faith still couldn't get over it. Either over the affection Tara had displayed for her. And at the same time over the fact she had felt comfortable about it. Both women had spent a good part of the night simply talking, a little about the movie, a little about evil and vampires and mainly about everything and nothing. And they had ended falling asleep without even noticing. Faith sighed slightly; she wasn't used to be in such a situation.  
She was about to abruptly get up and to go out from the room when she heard Tara moving. Instinctively, Faith turned her head to her. Tara was looking at her and was smiling friendly.

« Hi Faith » she said simply.

The sound of her voice, so friendly, the sight of her smile, so captivating, nailed the Slayer on her spot.

"Hey" answered Faith simply, unable to say anything else.

« Good night? » Asked Tara on a tone still a little asleep.

Faith tilted her head on the side to answer yes and got up.

« Oh! I hope that it isn't me who pushed you outside of the bed? » Asked Tara with anxiety, her spirit having finally recorded that Faith was on the ground.

« No problem Blondie » answered Faith while raising her hand in a reassuring gesture. « I made that alone ».

Faith kept silent and observed Tara some seconds. The blonde wasn't clearly awake and got ready to go back to sleep every minute.

« Well, I'm going to let you finish your night more comfortably, » declared the Slayer by withdrawing towards the door.

« What time is it Faith? » Asked Tara while straighten up on an elbow and trying to keep her eyes opened.

« Approximately seven » answered Faith. « You can go back to sleep. »

Tara nodded and allowed herself to fall again on the bed.

« I think you're right. »

« See you later then » concluded Faith while going out.

« You're cheating! »

« I promise I'm not » protested Tara, while displaying a whole feint innocence. « And anyway, if I want a chance to win, I have to help myself a little seeing as YOU're cheating. »

« I'm not cheating! » Protested Faith in her turn.

Tara arched a skeptical eyebrow in her direction.

« You're not cheating? »

Faith wasn't able not to give in in front of the witch's wrongly inquisitor air and began laughing.

« Okay, Okay » she admitted. " But I have a good reason. "

« Which is? » Tara asked.

« I just get out of jail » proposed Faith.

« And? » Asked again Tara by bending towards the Slayer.

« Forced to win from time to time to improve the every day life. You win a game, you win a smoke or a chips bag. Thus I had to put myself in it. »

Tara nodded her head in sign of understanding.

« But you, Blondie » resumed Faith. « Who thus learnt you to cheat so? »

"Xander and Anya" answered Tara, smiling at the evocation of her two friends. « Willow wanted to learn me to play like her, you know, to take into account probabilities, make calculations, things like that but … »

« Wait, Red plays cards by making probabilities calculations ? » Faith interrupted on a stunned tone.

Tara nodded.

« Yes. She's a brain you know. She manages to draw incredible conclusions in an incredible speed. I had to give up following her in this domain. Then to have a chance to win over her from time to time, Xander and Anya taught me some tricks. »

« Willow was so absorbed that she realized almost never anything! » Added Tara almost laughing.

The witch then seemed to withdraw in recollections of evenings of funny cards games and remained silent some moments before concluding.

« My last game was a long time ago … »

Faith considered the pensive face of the young woman and hesitated to pull her from her reverie.

« Anyway, I think I'm going to win this time » she announced finally after some moments.

Tara raised her head and smiled to her again.

« We'll see! »

* * *

"You won't ever drive in my presence!" Asserted Cordelia while pushing the door of the Hyperion, followed closely by an hilarious Gunn and a very smiling Fred. « You could have kill all of us! » Pursued the former cheerleader while entering the hotel. 

« You exaggerate a little Cordy » Fred said in a sweet voice. « And you drive hardly less faster … »

Cordelia stopped dead in her tracks and cast an exaggerated glance to the young lady.

« It has NOTHING to do with that » she defended herself « I really believed that we'd never arrived here in one piece. »

Fred closed the door of the hotel behind Angel and Wesley who followed just after them and the whole gang detailed the empty lobby.

« Where are Faith and Tara? » Asked Angel.

« Not here it seems » answered Cordelia while raising her eyes.

The young woman turned to the vampire who looked around him apparently in search of a track of both young ladies. Cordelia came to crash in front of him with an inquisitive sight.

« What are you afraid of ? That they had kill themselves during the weekend? »

Angel went on looking around him and frowned.

« With Faith, you could never know » he murmured for himself while continuing to move in the lobby while Cordelia went to the kitchen.

She returned one minute later and announced at once:

« Not in the kitchen. But seen as the stock of potatoes decreased, Faith at least ate here during the weekend »

« They are maybe in the library? » Suggested Fred.

« Maybe Tara is in the library » approved Wesley. « But Faith, we better to look for her in the training room or in cemeteries. »

"Yeah" admitted Angel. « The night has just fallen »

« Faith isn't in the training room » announced Gunn who just came back from bringing back there weapons taken by the gang in weekend.

« Cemetery then » concluded Cordelia.

« Let's find Tara at least » said Wesley while beginning to ascent the stairs. « We shall get back Faith while going on patrol »

The others followed him to the floor up to the library where, once arrived near the open door, all stopped dead in their tracks, hearing a clear laughter and shouts ringing.

« You cheated again! » Tara was protesting after having put down her cards in front of her.

Faith overturned in her chair, roaring and crossing her hands behind her head.

« You couldn't win again Tara! » Declared the Slayer, still laughing in front of the donwcast sight of her opponent.

From the doorway, all the rest of the group was looking at the scene, all mute in surprise. Angel crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe, a light smile appearing on his lips while none of both players hadn't noticed their arrival.

« I see that some people are enjoying themselves here » declared suddenly Cordelia, when she finally found her voice again.

Faith jumped when she heard the former cheerleader and her head turned abruptly to the door where the gang was gathered. The laughter of the Slayer fainted immediately and she jumped up on her feet.

« Hey guys, you're back … »

« Just right now » confirmed Angel.

His glance passed alternately from Tara to Faith, then to the cards on the before returning on both girls.

« It seems things went well » he said finally.

Faith nodded her head slowly.

"Yeah" she answered simply. « And you? This weekend? »

« It was really very great! » Said Fred enthusiastically. « You should have come Tara, that would have pleased you. This manor was just so beautiful and there was an impressive library, old books about magic, talismans, … Very, very interesting. »

Tara smiled broadly to Fred and nodded her head to her.

« That's great you spent a good weekend. »

« But this evening, return to work » intervened Angel on a serious tone.

Faith frowned.

« Troubles? » She asked, immediately switching to Slayer mode.

« Cordy had a vision » answered Wesley.

Faith sat again on her chair and turned to her former Watcher.

« What kind? »

« Children in a cemetery. They're going to be attacked by vampires »

« Children in a cemetery? » Asked Faith with surprise.

« Many kids go to cemeteries to frighten themselves » answered Wesley. « But for those, monsters will be very real if we don't find them first. »

« You know what cemetery? » Asked the Slayer again.

Angel shook his head with regret.

« Unfortunately no. It will be necessary to share the job. So this evening, it's patrol for everybody. You didn't have plans? »

Saying that, Angel looked alternately at Tara and Faith. This last one threw her arm over the back of her chair and made an amused grimace.

« To tell the truth, we had planned to watch ' the empire strikes back ' after watching Starwars yesterday and that Tara had never seen. » Faith pressed slightly on the never to make well understand at what stage this fact seemed incredibly shocking to her. Then she added:

« But a good patrol is also good to me. »

« You planned to watch a movie? This evening? You both? » Asked Cordelia on a tone of absolute incredulity.

The young lady who still hadn't, and in a surprising way, opened her mouth since the arrival of the group, looked at Faith with a not hidden surprise. Then she turned to Tara:

« What did you do to her to make her so sociable Tara? You cast a spell on her or what? »

« Of course not! » Protested instinctively Tara fiercely and on a rougher tone than she had intended.

All the glances converged on her, with the same expression of surprise on the faces. A smile of apologies and uneasiness appeared immediately on the witch's face while Cordelia answered on an annoyed tone of evidence:

« I was kidding. »

« So … Sorry » quickly faltered Tara while looking at her hands and trying desperately to avoid other people's looks and the particularly leaking out Faith's one.

« I would rather bet on the power of a good potatoes meal » joked Gunn to relax the atmosphere.

"Anyway" resumed Angel after a new silence. « Meeting for everybody in the lobby within one hour. And with weapons »

* * *

_Thanks to everyone who took time to leave feedback. Please go on giving your advice!_

_Next chapter coming next week._


	7. I have faith in you

_You probably already know the thing, but just in case you don't :_

_Note : I originally wrote this story in french. As I do not speak english fluently, you may find english mistakes. Feel free to tell me about it_

_Thanks to everyone who took time to leave feedback!_

* * *

**Chapter 6 : 'I have faith in you'**

* * *

One hour later, the group was gathered in the lobby again. Each of them had chosen several weapons as had recommended Angel. Sat on the sofa, Tara observed silently all her companions collecting different weapons and commenting on them. Faith and Gunn in particular showed an impressive collection of stakes and swords of any sizes as well as a crossbow each. Cordelia and Fred had chosen a simple stake and a dagger while Wesley also wore a crossbow and several stakes hidden in his clothes.

« Everybody's ready? » Asked finally Angel as he appeared in the room.

Everybody nodded and Angel gauged the seriousness on all faces.

« Good. Here's the plan. According to Cordy's vision , a group of kids is going to go to have some fun in a cemetery this evening and be slaughtered by a group of vampires. We studied with great care all the details of the premonition and we have all the same three possible cemeteries. Then, we're going to have to part in three groups, which implies that everybody has to come. »

Angel kept quiet one second, made sure that he had everybody's attention before starting again on a firmer tone.

« The purpose is simple: every group goes through its cemetery until one of us finds the kids and takes them out from there. Wesley…»

Saying this, he turned to the former Watcher.

« You'll go to the North with Gunn and Fred »

The three aforementioned nodded their head while Angel turned to Faith:

« Faith and Tara, since you seem to get along so well, you both go to the East. »

Faith approved and turned to Tara whose body had stiffened at the call of her name.

« You ok Blondie? »

The witch nodded and offered a slender smile to the Slayer.

« Cordelia and I will go to the South » finished Angel. « Every group has a mobile. The first one who finds them calls the others. Everybody be careful »

Everyone nodded and went on their way as a single man.

-------------------------------

A generous half-moon enlightened the dark paths of the cemetery in which Tara and Faith were roaming. Despite their casual step, both girls were attentive to any movement. The Slayer who were walking her crossbow in her hand, were casting furtive and precise glances around her and pricked up her ears in search of unusual sounds.

Next to her, Tara walked her arms crossed on her chest and observed her surroundings in a much more direct and less discreet way than her partner and wondered of which use she could be to a Slayer. If she was used to go out in Sunndydale's cemeteries with the Scooby-gang, notably during the summer which had followed Buffy's death, she still was not some fighter and although she killed some vampires occasionally, the witch hardly felt at ease in such situations.

She verified once again the mobile Faith had confided her. Still no call. Nobody had still found the children. The perspective to save these unwary kids gave her some courage and Tara put back the mobile in her pocket. Her attention returned to Faith and Tara was amazed again by the feline grace which emerged from the dark-haired Slayer while she allied in a such surprising way precision and nonchalance in her movements between graves.

Although absorbed in contemplating her partner, Tara was surprised when this one stopped brutally and the blonde crashed headlong into her back. Faith didn't stumble of a centimeter and ordered silence to Tara with a sign of her hand. The witch looked in the direction Faith were looking at but noticed nothing particular.

« What's happening? » She eventually asked as low as she was able.

« There's something there » said Faith on the same tone pointing to a vast crypt to about twenty metres from their position. « Vampires maybe ».

Tara looked again in the indicated direction but noticed nothing more than previously and wasn't able to refrain from pouting.

"Slayer's earing" smirked Faith with a smile, seeing the sceptical look on Tara's face.

« Let's go and see? » The witch agreed.

« Follow me » approved Faith.

The Slayer resumed walking, chased close by Tara. Both young women attained quickly and silently around the crypt and Faith flattened herself against the cold wall, just next to the door. A quick glance inside confirmed what her Slayer's senses learnt her some metres earlier: several persons fussed in the crypt. Faith distinguished sharply a man, whose back was in her direction and guessed another one on the side, more than she clearly saw him. They were tilted on the coffin which throned in the center of the room and seemed to look for something, the hands of the one that saw Faith fussing on the cold stone of the coffin.

« Vampires? » Asked Tara so low that Fath wouldn't have been able to hear her without her special slayer's abilities.

The Slayer shrugged in sign of ignorance.

« I don't know. I can't see well enough. »

« You think they're the ones we're looking for? »

New shrug. Then Faith bent again slightly towards the door to see better.

« I can't see what they're doing» she muttered.

« I'm going to go around the crypt, to see if there's another possible point of view » proposed Tara.  
Faith nodded her head and turned to her.

« Be careful » she whispered quite low while Tara already went away.

Faith watched at her following the crypt with big care, a light of amusement in her eyes, before she returned towards the crypt. Both occupants, whose nature she was still unable to determine, were still busy around the central coffin. Faith considered one moment to simply enter and ask them what they were doing. In case of vampires, she would just stake them without warning. They didn't seem to be more than two.

« In the worst case, three » thought Faith by gauging the size of the room and the possible hidden recesses out of her sight where another potential vampire could hide itself.

She decided to wait for Tara's return to take action and turned around in the direction the witch had taken previously. A sinister crackle and a suppressed shout coming from this direction made her jump. Faith rushed forward immediately.

« Tara? »

She didn't obtain any answer. The Slayer quickly crossed some meters, which separated her from the extremity of the crypt. Just as she had turned at the corner of the building, she stopped dead in her tracks in front of a hole gaping at her feet. The Slayer bent and noticed fragments of boards damaged by time, which previously were hiding the hole. They had broken under Tara's weight, revealing so a cavity in which the witch had probably fallen.

Faith knelt down on the edge and tried to see under her. It was really dark and some seconds were needed for her eyes to get used to the darkness and distinguish the silhouette of the witch three meters lower.

« Tara, are you okay? »

« Faith … »

The plaintive voice rose weakly up to the Slayer who got alarmed at the frightened tone of the young woman.

« Are you hurt? » She asked again, trying to master the anxiety in her voice.

"It's nothing" Tara tried to reassure her, noticing the fear the Slayer hadn't totally succeeded in hiding. « I think I just ricked my ankle or something of that kind … »

« I'm coming » said Faith simply.

The Slayer pressed firmly her hands on the edge of the hole and let her body slide along the front wall to jump up till the bottom. One second later, she was with Tara who sat and rested against the bank behind her and held her right ankle with a grimace.

« Let me see »

Tara loosened her hand and Faith let slide her fingers on the ankle. She grimaced when she noticed that this one had already considerably swelled. She raised her head over her towards the opening by which both women had arrived there.

« You'll never manage to go back up with an ankle in such a state. » She asserted.

Tara considered her unbelievingly.

« 'Cause you, you could climb these three meters? » She interrogated with a skeptical look.

Faith raised her head again and seemed to gauge the obstacle.

« Not easy but maybe » she ended with a proud smile which brought one on Tara's face.

Then she felt again Tara's ankle.

« But for you, impossible in this state. »

« Simply impossible for me » retorted Tara while gauging the height and little of support on the wall.

"I'll help you » said Faith. « But you have to be able to lean above."

"It may be nothing. Leave me some moments to recover" proposed Tara.

Faith looked at her with a skeptical look but nodded her head. She sat down next to the witch and tried to sweat out. After hardly some seconds of total inactivity, Faith turned to Tara and asked abruptly:

"Why are you here?"

Tara raised her head in astonishment.

"What?"

"I mean" resumed Faith with care. "Why did you come here to Los Angeles? Why did you leave Sunnydale?"

Tara looked at Faith with a dumbfounded look on her face and her mouth opened to answer but no distinct sound went out of it. Seeing the surprise of her friend, Faith chose to beat a retreat.

"You're not forced to answer. I understand if you don't want to talk to me about it"

"No, no, Faith " protested Tara. "I'm just surprised"

Then she resumed while playing anxiously with the ledge of her sleeve.

"In fact, Willow and I were a couple. Besides, it's rather kinda funny to think that you were the first one to point it out. In your own poetic way"

Faith grimaced at the evocation of her first remark to Tara some years earlier, then concentrated once again on Tara which went on.

"We were very happy together, I guess. But she…She…Things a bit skidded some months ago and I left her. I needed to move away. It was too painful to stay there and to see her so …"

The fair-haired woman stopped one second, seemed to search her words or to gather her resolution to finish her explanation. "Xander offered me to call Angel so that I have someplace where to go. And here I am"

Faith looked at the witch's face and hesitated over the behaviour to be held. Tara seemed distressed to have talked about her ex-girlfriend and Faith was shared between the desire not to push her friend farther on something so evidently painful to, and the curiosity to know what Willow could have done so that Tara felt forced to leave her. The witch did not let her the time to decide and turned towards her with a forced smile.

"Let's see this ankle?" she offered.

Faith pushed back things she was wondering about and smiled at Tara.

"Yeah"

Faith raised her hand to the witch who took it and leaned over to try to get up. But she had barely taken support on her painful ankle when Tara winced in pain, and Faith forced her to sit down again.

"Not yet I'd say" The Slayer said.

She put her hand on the wound and grimaced.

"You're a witch, you can do nothing for that?"

Saying this, Faith was pointing to Tara's painful ankle and looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"No" answered Tara curtly. « The magic isn't made to arrange that kind of small problems »

Faith frowned and took away her hand of blonde's ankle.

« Hey, careful Blondie. » She muttered, suddenly irritated by the aggressiveness of her partner. « I know nothing about those things, I was only suggesting »

Tara lowered her eyes, ashamed of her shout and worried to have hurt the Slayer.

« I… I'm so… sorry Faith » she stammered finally. « I… I didn't want … »

Faith shrugged and showed a stubborn look.

« Drop it. It's not important »

She stood up and looked around her.

« Remains to find how we're going to take you out from here » she added.

Tara wasn't able to refrain from smiling seeing Faith going back so fast in full 'Slayer' mode.

« You know » she said after long seconds of silence. « I'm used to put myself in this kind of situations; this kind of things happens to me all the time. »

« What do you mean? » Asked Faith while frowning an eyebrow.

« In fact, when it's about being chased by the gentlemen in search of hearts to torn down, by a hairy monster taken out of an alternative reality, by a jealous werewolf, or to get myself assaulted by an insane hell goddess or still meet a psychopath Slayer in the body of another Slayer a little psychopath herself, I am always on ranks. And I don't count vampires attacks. »

Faith couldn't refrain from smiling to this new evocation of her first meeting with Tara and to the derisory way Tara expressed this disasters list quite important.

"Good job" admitted Faith while returning towards her.

« I'm Unlucky-girl » said Tara.

« You could have told me that before we teamed up together » joked Faith.

The witch smiled seeing the Slayer relaxing again.

« Nobody would have wanted to come with me! » She answered on a light tone.

« We would have left you at the hotel! » Retorted Faith with a half-smile.

« I'm sorry » said Tara pointing her ankle.

Faith shrugged and got closer a little more.

« It's nothing Tara. We're going to go out from there »

Faith approached the wall and examined it more precisely than before, looking for a means to hoist the witch outside this trap. She sighed by noticing that it would certainly be already difficult to her to go back up alone.

The Slayer turned and observed around her.

« I wonder what this hole is » she began.

« There is a corridor there » said Tara while pointing to her right.

Faith followed the gesture and distinguished effectively a vague narrow corridor which went away from where they were.

« You should have begun by saying that to me » the Slayer was ironic while scrutinizing the narrow passage.

« And I think this is just a grave » resumed Tara innocently. « And I thought that you would begin by worrying for me! »

Faith wasn't able to refrain from smiling frankly by seeing the adorable grin which had punctuated the sentence of the young woman.

« I'm going to go and see what is there » chained Faith quickly. « There's maybe a passage which rises towards the crypt. »

She stopped one second, looked again towards the opening over her then towards the corridor which opened on her right.

« It's maybe this hole these idiots above are looking for » she murmured more for herself than to be heard. « I'm going to cast a glance, don't move from here Blondie » she added in going to the corridor.

Tara grimaced and appointed her ankle as only answer. Faith split in a small smile and disappeared in the passage. She had just crossed the hole which separated her from the room where she had left Tara when she noticed that the following corridor was wider than it appeared to be. It had apparently dug by human beings. Faith moved in let's try in the black passage during about fifteen meters before being again in a bigger room. Contrary to what she had just seen, this room was paved and Faith distinguished old worn torches hung on walls, dusty and cracked by time. In front of her, a half collapsed stair rose over her head.

« Score! » The Slayer exclaimed cheerfully. « I bet that this stair rises in the crypt. It will be perfect to make Tara go out »

Faith moved carefully on the first stairs from which some stony fragments got loose under her steps. Arrived at the top, Faith put her hands on the trapdoor which blocked the access to what she thought being the crypt and she tried to make it move at first delicately, then a little more energetically. After three fruitless attempts, she was this time about to try to break the trapdoor with all her strenght when an anguished roaring hit her ears.

« Fai … »

The call of her name died in Tara's choked voice and Faith shivered from head to toes.

The Slayer was at the foot of the stair in one second and rushed in the corridor she crossed again the other way around, running as fast as she could. While she joined the room in which she had left Tara some moments earlier, Faith was able to hear sharply a man's voice asking on a tone of steel:

« What are you doing here? You were spying on us? »

The question was punctuated by an unclear growl and a dry noise which Faith wasn't able to identify. When finally the Slayer jumped up in the first room, she saw that the hole by which Tara had fallen, had been enlarged and the room was henceforth bathed more generously than previously by the moonlight. And the scene which Faith attended had nothing to please the brunette Slayer: a man who must be around thirty, big and strong, with dark, too long, too dirty, too much ruffled hair, held Tara stuck to a wall behind her. The man's hand was pressed on her neck, and his body was sprawled out stuck to the blonde witch's one, while one of his feet crushed deliberately Tara's painful ankle.

The young woman was bleeding from nose and in her eyes, Faith was able to see a lighting flash of terror while the face of the man was just some millimeters from hers and while the fist of his free hand rose over her to crash violently into Tara's face which tried unsuccessfully to pronounce a word.  
At this sight, Faith felt her blood boiling in her veins and an animal rage filled any fiber in her being while she threw herself forward to cross the last meters, which separated her from the aggressor of the blonde.

A second man, slightly smaller than the other one, who was standing between her and her purpose, moved towards her to intervene. Faith, who had hardly noticed him, threw him with only one shot against the wall his head struck to without sweetness.  
Seeing the dark-haired young woman sweeping down so on him, the first man deviated from Tara brutally. The body of the young witch subsided lazily along the wall and the man took her away from him with a violent kick in her abdomen which threw the blonde witch a good meter behind him.  
When he was in front of Faith, he put himself in position to receive the Slayer. But nothing could get him ready for what was coming to him. The man wasn't able to refrain from having a movement of recoin while seeing Faith's face deformed hatred and fury. And he had no time to sketch a gesture of defense when Faith's fist crashed with violence on his face. His body fell over behind under the violence of the shock and he fell brutally on his back on the cold and rocky ground. He wanted to react and stand up immediately but had no time. His back had harldy struck the ground under him that the man felt the Slayer jumping up on him. Another punch struck his jaw, then a second and a third. He tried to put his arms across his face to protect him but nothing seemed to be able to resist to the Slayer's madness as Faith began raining an incredible violent blows on the man's face.

« You bastard! » Roared Faith whose voice vibrated with an uncontrollable anger. « It's just a hurt young girl you were beating on! You coward, disgusting waste…»

The insults accompanied the blows and when Faith stopped striking him, it was to lift him from the ground by his shoulders and throw him again on hard stones under him with fury, before beginning to distribute blows again.

« Faith … »

The weak voice of Tara, who had just came back to her and looked at the scene with horror, didn't reach her ears at first.  
It was when the blonde witch crawled to her and rested her hand on her shoulder and tried to pull her behind that Faith abruptly seemed to return to reality.

« Faith, stop, you're going to kill him » she heard Tara murmur in her ear.

The Slayer stopped then any gesture and moved back abruptly in a muddled movement and met herself sat a meter across from man she was just beating. Slowly, Faith'eyes came fell towards her two hands she opened in front of her.

Blood was splattered on her palms, and Faith could feel the sticky liquid pouring between her fingers. The Slayer quivered violently and raised her head to see the body of her victim spread meadows of her, his face bruised and covered with blood.

A violent sickness turned her heart in her chest and Faith had to hold on not to vomit. The quiver which had taken her the second before repeated and became a shiver which seized all her body.

« Oh my God » she let escape with a suppressed voice.

Her next sensation was Tara's hand again on her shoulder. Faith turned her head to the blonde witch who put on her worried eyes, but Tara could have swear that Faith looked at her without really seeing her.

« Oh my God » repeated Faith a little stronger, in a trembling voice this time « Tara, I killed him, I killed him … »

Tara approached a little more and put her arm around Faith's shoulders.

« He's not dead Faith » she murmured in the Slayer's ear with a reassuring voice. « He's not dead »

« I … I … I almost killed him » swallowed Faith with difficulty. « I could have killed him … »

Her eyes returned on her hands stained with blood before settling on the man's damaged body who was lying in a step. Then her glance returned on Tara and the witch saw in astonishment discreet tears shining in the corners of the eyes of the dark-haired Slayer.

« Tara, I almost killed him » repeated Faith on an anguished tone. « I didn't want … I was outside me, I was in a rage, I was … Oh my God, I don't want to be like that any more, don't let me be that girl again… I can't be that girl again … »

Tears started to pour freely on Faith's cheeks and Tara attracted the Slayer's body in her arms, put her delicate hands in the brunette's hair, murmured comforting words.

« It will be okay Faith, it will be okay, I am here … »

« I can't anymore Tara, I swear, I can't be that girl again… »

« It will be okay, it will be okay … »

« Please, don't let me be that girl again … »

Tara squeezed Faith a little more against her and rocked slowly the young woman whose hands caught abruptly her shoulders before she gave way completely in the witch's arms. Long minutes went by, during which only Faith's suppressed sobs and Tara's comforting rustle could be heard in the silence otherwise almost-funeral which reigned around them.

It was the bell of the mobile phone that broke finally the moment. Tara raised her head and looked for the telephone which had fallen from her pocket when she had fallen in the hole. The witch loosened one of her arms and craned it up to the mobile. Cordelia's name was flashing on the screen.

« Hello? »

« Wes and the others found them » declared Angel's voice on the line.

"Good" answered simply Tara heaving an inside sigh of relief while her eyes settled successively on both unconscious men who were lying around them.

« You can come back » resumed Angel. « We'll meet at the hotel. See you l… »

« Angel, wait! » Tara interrupted him while she pulled Faith still a little more close to her with her free arm. « We're going to need a little help over here… »

---------------------------------------

Tara opened one of the kitchen's cupboards and took two cups then one metal box that she deposited on the counter close to her. She took out two bags of infusion she put in the cups. Of another cupboard, Tara took a sugar box and a doughnut box she put on a tray. The whistling of the kettle informed her then the water which she had put in it a little earlier, was ready. Tara seized it and filled both cups which she put then on the tray she had prepared.

« How is she? »

Tara turned her head to the door to face the newcomer who was Angel. The vampire was rested against the doorframe and looked at her with a worried look.

« She… she's shell-shock » explained Tara. « She's in bed. I thought an infusion would do good to her » she added while pointing at the tray in front of her.

Angel smiled to her and nodded his head before moving to her.

« And you? Your ankle? »

« It will be okay» Tara answered quite low. « Maybe it doesn't seem like that, but I had some hard times…»

« I don't doubt it. »

« How were things for you guys? »

« Wes'group found the kids and reduced vampires to dust. He and Fred took back the children to their home. As for your two graves looters, they're in jail at this very moment. Apparently, they were looking for jewels they thought have been buried in this crypt with their former owner. »

There was a silence between them whom Tara occupied with looking at her shoes before she looked at Angel again and ask:

« What's going to happen to Faith? »

« I shall speak about it with her when she will have calmed down. I don't think that Morris will send her back in jail, if that's what worries you. »

Tara nodded her head.

« She said that in the first prank of her part, she would be arrested again. »

« That's true » approved Angel. « But Morris is comprehensive. He won't doubtless raise the info … »

« Good, good … But she? »

Angel curved an eyebrow at first, before understanding what Tara was saying.

« It'll be up to her to choose. Is she rather strong to be outside? She's the only one to know »

Tara nodded thoughtfully and seized the tray before beginning to move in the room with delicacy. Angel came at once to her and cleared her.

« Let me help you. »

« You should maybe bring that to her yourself » proposed Tara. « It would maybe be better whether it's you who … »

"No" interrupted firmly Angel. « I think she's needing you right now. »

Tara nodded her head, smiling, and Angel turned on his heels, the tray in his hand to go out of the kitchen. When they both arrived at the door of Faith's room, Angel put handed the tray to Tara and split with a half-smile.

"Good luck" he said simply. « Put her back on the right tracks » he added while he was going away.

« I'm going to try » approved Tara while pushing the door.

Faith was sitting on her bed, her head on the wall behind, the sheets and blankets raised up to her chest. She seemed not to have moved of a centimeter since Tara had left her twenty minutes earlier, and she didn't turn to the witch. Tara approached her and put down the tray on the bed next to her.

« I brought you an infusion » she explained friendly. « And doughnuts »

Faith turned to her and sketched a forced half-smile but made no gesture towards the tray. Tara seized her own cup and drank a sip.

« That will do good to you Faith »

The Slayer watched at her drinking with the corner of her eye during long silent minutes before finally doing like her and drink.

« I'm a monster » she spat suddenly in a trembling voice.

Tara ran her hand slightly in Faith's brown buckles and offered her a compassionate smile.

"No" she asserted simply.

« You saw me at work » continued Faith in a breath by looking at her hands in front of her. « I was a monster and I'm still one. I can't bail myself out. I would never bail myself out »

Tara didn't stop stroking the dark-haired Slayer's hair, who seemed again on the verge of tears.

« I won't make it » she murmured again.

« You will make it Faith » Tara contradicted her with calm and certainty. « I know that you will make it. »

« How can you be so sure? » Asked Faith while raising her eyes from which she was trying so-so to contain tears.

Tara smiled to her. With a reassuring, soft and confident smile as nobody had ever smiled to Faith before. Her hand came down slowly along the brunette's buckles to stroke her cheek with the outside of her fingers.

« I have faith in you » she answered simply. And her tone, her smile, everything in her attitude said the sincerity of this assertion.

Faith wasn't able to refrain from smiling in reply and in spite of the doubt and the terror which had insinuated themselves in her a little earlier, an unknown sensation of peace of mind and confidence also seized her. She relaxed a little and finished drinking her infusion she put back on the tray.

Tara also placed there her empty cup and removed the doughnuts box she put down on the nightstand before getting up, the tray in her hand.

« You should try to sleep now. Everything will be better tomorrow »

Faith watched at her getting up and going away and opened her mouth to say something but it opened then closed twice without any sound going out of it. When Tara almost reached the door, she gathered all her courage.

"Tara"

The witch turned around and a fold marked her forehead in front of the Slayers' lost expression.

« Yes Faith? »

« Would you stay with me, this evening? » Asked the Slayer, so embarrassed that she hardly whispered the end of her sentence.

Tara smiled to her again and returned towards her. She put the tray on the dresser and came to sit down again next to the Slayer who moved a little to make room for her.

« You… you don't have to if you don't want » said Faith nevertheless.

« No problem Faith. You took charge really well of me when I was hurt. It's my turn to take care of you. »

Tara removed her shoes and lengthened her legs on the bed while Faith loosened enough space for her so that both young women can keep themselves at a good distance from the other one. When Tara was comfortably settled, Faith streched herself out completely on the side, facing the witch, an arm folded up under the head put on the pillow. Tara spread her hand to stroke Faith'hair as she had already done earlier. A comfortable silence settled down in the room, each of the girls dive in her own thoughts.

Thoughts which brought Faith to break the silence after a moment:

« Tara … You didn't have faith in Willow? »

Tara's head turned brutally to Faith and she frowned at the unexpected question.

« I mean » resumed Faith, seeing her confusion. « You give me a second chance, you believe in my redemption and I nevertheless made terrible things. What Willow did, it's then worse than what I did, so that you can't forgive her? »

Tara found nothing to answer.

* * *

_It would be very cool to have your feelings about the story and the way things are going!_

_Next chapter coming next week!_


	8. Feelings part 1

_Thanks to everyone who took time to leave feedback!_

_And many many thanks to Tammy for beta-reading my chapters now. That one had been revised thanks to her._

* * *

**Chapter 7 : Feelings (part 1)**

The following weeks saw Tara and Faith getting even closer, at everybody's amusement and surprise. After the cemetery's incident, Faith had spent a few days feeling disturbed. She was torn between the disgust she inspired in herself and the desire that Tara inspired in her to fight to be someone whom the others could consider as respectable.

Faith drew strength from the immovable trust the witch had expressed in her. It gave her the sufficient energy to face her fears and to face Morris.

As Angel had foreseen, this one had kept silent about the incident after having discussed it at first with Faith, then with Angel and Tara, who then accompanied the Slayer and the vampire to all of Faith's sessions with Morris.

After a few days of talking about the event, things slowly went back to normal. Faith had started to patrol again, although she was a little bit anxious about losing control of herself again. With the encouragement of Angel and Tara in particular, she was finally convinced. Angel couldn't refrain from watching her more than previously, but was satisfied to see the quiet influence Tara's presence had on the Slayer.

Faith and Tara were almost inseparable. Patrols were the only moment of the day that the girls didn't spend together. From the very beginning of the morning till the departure in patrol, they didn't leave each other. Faith had continued to keep Tara company in the kitchen. She also accompanied her when she went shopping and stayed with her when the witch worked in the library, telling her events of the previous night's patrol.

Sometimes, both spent the afternoon roaming in Los Angeles, discovering just a little more of the city in every occasion. Faith had even once accompanied Cordelia, Fred and Tara into the city center for an afternoon between girls, which she and Cordelia had mainly occupied by bitching at each other to Fred's and Tara's enjoyment.

In the evening, if she didn't come back too late from hunting monsters, Faith slid into the witch's room, who had waited for her, often with a book in her hand. Both friends then spent the rest of the evening watching a movie or talking about everything and nothing. It wasn't rare that Faith eventually fell asleep there and spent the night.

Sometimes she stayed, even when she didn't fall asleep. She would lay near Tara and watch the witch while she slept. Most times, the blonde grumbled, moved and moaned with fear in her sleep. When it happened, Faith stayed motionless beside her, having no idea of what she could do to relieve her friend. Tara's nightmares had been one of the first reasons, which had urged her to stay with Tara after she fell asleep. Even if Faith knew nothing about the comfort she could offer, she preferred to be there, just in case …  
She started to wonder if stroking Tara's hair, as the blonde had done for her that night in cemetery, could reassure the witch. She had never dared to look within herself for an answer.

The mornings that followed were never really the same. Sometimes, Faith woke up alone in Tara's bed and found the witch in the kitchen deep in conversation with Fred, cooking breakfast. Other times, Faith woke up before her and tried to make breakfast herself. She had however stopped, since one morning Cordelia had roared that her coffee was as burnt as her toast and had ordered her to stay far away from furnaces. Faith had claimed not to understand her protests but had discreetly emptied her cup in the kitchen sink when Tara had suggested redoing some coffee.

Then there were times that they woke up almost simultaneously. They looked at one another with a little bit of embarrassment before laughing about their sleepy attitudes and their wild hair. It was these mornings that Faith preferred. There was also the time that Tara had come to wake her, with a tray of breakfast. Even in her craziest dreams, Faith had never imagined that somebody could one day bring her breakfast in bed. Apparently, Tara would never stop surprising her.

And Faith ignored that it was exactly what Tara thought about her too. Underneath her abrupt exterior, Faith showed an attention and tenderness that Tara hoped that she would see a little more of every day. And she managed to. Without forcing anything, without asking for anything, Faith had become more and more comfortable with her and had slowly dropped the mask of arrogance. She showed a protective and obliging behavior, which cut incredibly into the free-and-easy and indifferent one that she wore everywhere else except between the four walls of Tara's room.

It was an evening as they had already shared so much. Both sat on Tara's bed, their back rested against the bedhead, their legs spread in front of them, and an enormous bowl of popcorn between them. The TV was switched on and played a movie to which none of both girls paid attention while Faith told Tara in detail about the patrol she had just come back from. The witch smiled in amusement to the Slayer's gusto, happy to hear the pride in Faith's voice, when she told her about when Angel had congratulated her on her control and her behavoir all evening long.

« Just try to imagine » Faith was saying. « Vampires trying to do magic? »

« A little frightening, wasn't it? »

« My God, a little I think. They weren't really gifted and we didn't really know what to expect with their magic tricks. Explosions, stuff flying everywhere. Sure, they didn't have you as a teacher! »

Tara let escape a small bitter laughter and a "better like that" Faith didn't even notice as she was absorbed in her story.

« Then, finally, I dust the last one and you should have seen the mess in that crypt! Books and magic stuff everywhere. We brought back everything to the hotel but Angel said that there was nothing really interesting, except for a couple of crystals… »

« Crystals? » Asked the witch, highly interested.

Faith nodded her head and her eyes started to shine with a light that Tara didn't know how to explain.

« What did you do with them? »

« Angel destroyed them » explained Faith. « Dangerous according to him … »

"Oh" Tara said, a little disappointed.

Faith smiled at her and leant over to her side of the bed where she took out a paper package and brought it towards Tara. The Slayer delicately unfolded the corners, under Tara's curious glance.

« Except one » said Faith looking at Tara

She finished opening the paper and a purple dark, slightly brilliant crystal, appeared under the witch's eyes. Tara wasn't able to refrain an exclamation of admiration.

« I asked Angel if you could have it » resumed Faith. « As I know you like crystals and all…»

Tara looked at Faith, who was suddenly embarrassed and handed her the magnificent crystal. The witch smiled from ear to ear while seizing the object and examined it closer.

« It's a very rare crystal » she finally said.

Faith nodded her head

« That's what Angel said. » she admitted. « I had to insist a little to have it! Do you like it? »

The last question had an almost worried tone and in the back of her mind, Tara couldn't help but notice that Faith was different from all that she had imagined during their first meeting or from all that she had been told about her.

« Faith, that's so sweet of you » she said to her sincerely, a light of rare enjoyment in her eyes.

Tara then leant towards the Slayer, put one of her arms around her shoulders and placed a kiss on her cheek with tenderness. Faith, who didn't expect it, cringed away forcefully and looked at her with confusion, her eyebrows furrowed. At once, an expression of excuse appeared on Tara's face.

« Faith, I…I'm sor… sorry » she stuttered to the Slayer, who kept herself at a distance away from her . « I…I sometimes forget that the fact I'm gay can can be em… embarrassing for the others … But I guarantee you, no… no mixed messages here, I… I wasn't trying to… »

Faith looked at her with atonishment, surprised that Tara could think her homosexuality was the reason of her backward step, but not sure to know why she had reacted so nevertheless.

« No, no Tara » she faltered in her turn. « It isn't that, you can believe me … I have no problem with that … »

Tara looked at her nervously and Faith's uneasiness grew more and more with still by seeing the sadness on her face.

« So … Sorry » repeated Tara.

« Nothing to do with that, Tara » Faith repeated, while trying to find an explanation to her behavior. « It's just that I'm not really used to that kind of thing. »

She pointed to her cheek while saying this and was able to notice that her words didn't seem to calm the fear on Tara's face.

« I'm sorry » repeated Tara once again. « I didn't want to put you ill-at-ease. »

Faith nodded awkwardly but suddenly felt a big need for air, while her eyes settled into Tara's big blue worried eyes.

« I … I've gotta go. »

And without adding anything more, the Slayer jumped up from the bed and left the room. Tara sighed for a long time after watching the dark-haired Slayer's retreat.

« You're such a dork! » She murmured for herself to the empty room.

------------------------

Faith closed the door a little more brutally than she had intended to, and stopped on the doorstep. She leaned against the wooden post behind her and closed her eyes, trying to find a rational explanation to her sudden nervousness and to calm her panting breath.

Seeing that she didn't succeed, she eventually went down the stairs four at a time to the lobby and went into the training room. In three steps, she was in front of the weapons closet and she opened it with a crash before considering the arsenal in front of her.

« What are you doing? »

Faith jumped and turned around to see Angel. She shrugged, presented him with an annoyed grin and turned towards the opened cupboard.

« I'm going out to patrol. »

Angel got closer and leaned against the closet, his arms crossed and his eyes riveted on the Slayer.

« Faith, we came back from patrol an hour ago » pointed out the vampire.

« I'm sure there are other evils to kill in this city »

« A problem? »

« No. »

« Why aren't you spending the evening with Tara? »

« I need to get some air and to let some steam off. » Faith spat, a little irritated.

« A problem then? »

" No problem " denied Faith, while she rocked a crossbow on her shoulder and turned to the exit.

« I'm coming with you »

« No need, I can deal. I promise everything's fine »

Angel grabbed a weapon and followed the Slayer outside.

« I need to let some steam off too. You will just have to bare with me »

Faith sighed heavily and raised her eyes to the sky.

« Ok boss. Seems I have no choice »

« No, not really. »

-----------------------------

This new visit to the cemetery had been already worth it,as they met with three more vampires. It ended quickly by Faith planting her stake in their heart. Angel decided to interrogate the Slayer, who walked a little in front of him.

« What's the problem then? »

Faith shrugged and didn't spare a glance to her companion when she answered.

« I said that there was no problem. »

« And it's doubtless the same lack of problem that makes you return to hunting instead of spending the night with Tara as you usually do? »

Faith stopped and turned to the vampire, an expression propped up on her face.

« Ok, is it a crime to change a little of my habits? »

Angel spread his arms in sigh of exasperation.

« No, of course not. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm saying there has to be a reason. »

« I'm a Slayer, I'm doing my job » Faith persisted.

« You don't exactly do it anymore. Go out this late. »

Faith furrowed her brow towards the vampire, then turned on her heels and continued to walk.

« What do you mean? » She muttered.

Angel increased his speed to catch up with her and to started to walk at her pace.

« I mean that your habits have changed lately and if there's a new change tonight, it has to have a reason. »

« My habits have changed lately? » Faith repeated.

« Come on Faith, you know exactly what I'm talking about » Angel said, almost amused. « No more patrols all night long, no more random guys here and there. Your habits have changed. »

« Maybe I just want a little return to the past »

« So, what were your plans for tonight? » Angel went on, ignoring Faith's annoyed tone. «Kill some vampires and get laid by some guy in a nasty bar? »

Faith stopped dead in her tracks again and turned around towards the vampire.

« Ok. What do you want? Why is it so disturbing that I return to patrol? »

« Something is bothering you » said Angel sympathetically. « I just thought that you would maybe like to talk about it. »

« Nothing is bothering me » protested Faith.

« Faith, I know you a little more now. And I've been around for so many … »

« Please, save me from the 'I am 243 years old and I know stuff about human soul.' speech »

« What happened with Tara? » Angel asked abruptly.

« What? »

« You went to join her when we came back. Then you came down to the weapons closet to get a weapon and then went on patrol. So, I wonder: what happened with Tara? Did you get into an argument with her? »

« Please stop that. » Answered Faith, raising her eyes in the sky. « Do you really think you can fight with her? »

« I think so » Angel replied.

Faith winced. « Maybe » she admitted. « But no, we didn't fight. »

« Then? »

« You won't leave me alone unless I say something, will you? » Asked the Slayer

The vampire wasn't able to stop a small roguish smile from appearing on his face.

«You're right » he confirmed.

Faith raised her eyes in the sky again and resumed her walking.

« It's me » she began. « I'm acting as the queen of idiots. »

Angel chuckled.

« Which means? »

Faith blew out a breath, rolled her eyes, and slightly hesitated before explaining.

« I gave her the crystal that we found earlier, in the vampires and so-called warlocks nest we chased away. She said it was a rare crystal and she was so delighted. And... to thank me, she kissed me there. » Faith said, while she pointed to her cheek.

Angel had to make an effort not to show his amusement at the Slayer's uneasiness at the simple gesture.

« And? » He encouraged her.

« And I was surprised, I moved back as if I was shocked and I left. As a result, now, she thinks that I was bothered about the kiss because she's gay. »

« Running away wasn't necessarily the best means to make her understand that it isn't the case. » Pointed out wisely Angel. « It isn't the case? » He added.

« Of course not » growled out Faith. « I'm an idiot » she concluded.

There was a moment of silence before Angel turned to study the pensive face of his Slayer.

« And why did you react like that? » He asked finally.

Faith shrugged.

« Don't know. I'm not really used to that, the nearness, the… »

She looked for the good word and Angel came to her help.

« Tenderness? »

Faith nodded simply without looking at the vampire beside her.

« And you're afraid? »

« Afraid? »

Angel stopped and leaned against a grave behind him. Instinctively, Faith did the same.

« You're afraid » repeated Angel. And this time, it wasn't a question.

Faith scowled.

« Afraid? Ok, I reacted stupidly; but saying I'm afraid? Afraid of what? »

« Of what you feel? »

« What? »

Faith looked now at Angel in astonishment and distrust and Angel tried to offer a reassuring smile.

« I understand that Faith. These feelings are frightening when we feel them for the first time.»

Faith shrugged with carelessness.

« What are you talking about? Ok, she's cool and everything … »

« You've become attached to her Faith. » Clarified Angel. « Your loss of control with the grave looters the other time didn't happen by chance. »

« What do you mean? » Asked Faith, while rocking nervously from one foot to the other.

« I don't think you would have reacted that way, if it had been somebody else. »

« Obviously, if it had been somebody as boring as you, I would have let him deal alone» muttered Faith.

« You couldn't bare to see her being hurt » Angel resumed, as if the Slayer hadn't interrupted him. « You let your feelings for her get the upper hand. »

« Ok, Ok » admitted Faith in a piercing tone. « Of course I don't want her to get hurt. I wanted to protect her. And I would have protected Fred or Cordelia TOO »

« Your reaction would have been different if it had been about Cordelia or about Fred. You reacted as violently as your feelings for her are disturbing to you. » asserted Angel.

Faith shrugged again and looked away.

« Anything disturbing in there » She grumbled more for herself than for Angel.

Angel remained silent for a few minutes, observing the Slayer who seemed to look everywhere else except at him.

« It's normal that you're disturbed Faith. And destabilized. I think that's new for you, and you…»

« What are you talking about? » Exclaimed Faith with sharpness, glancing at Angel again.

« You like her » answered Angel, a half-smile on his face.

« Of course, I already said that » muttered Faith.

Angel hesitated for a second then turned again to her.

« I didn't exactly mean that, Faith » he admitted to her. « I meant a little more about it »

« And what? » Interrogated Faith, openly annoyed.

« You are falling in love with her. »

Faith, who was again going to react even before Angel finished his sentence, kept silent when her brain registered what the vampire had just said. She frowned, prepared a first answer, swallowed, was about to pronounce the second answer that came to her, before finally leaning on the gravestone behind her and shrugging.

"Whatever" she said simply.

Angel stared at the Slayer whose eyes moved around their surroundings, avoiding crossing his. He glanced to her face which showed a stubborn and annoyed look. He looked at her hands which nervously opened and closed around the stake that she held.

« Faith, it's perfectly normal to fall in love and to feel uneasy or … »

« Stop that » ordered Faith on a tone without retort. « There's nothing of the kind, your imagining things … »

« I understand you're in denial » Angel insisted however. « Sometimes, that's something more terrible than to fight monsters and … »

Faith raised her eyes to the sky, then stood up abruptly, fixing her eyes to something behind Angel.

« I think we have some company » she said.

Angel turned around and noticed that indeed, two vampires had just extracted their graves just behind him.

« Job is calling me » added Faith by crossing a few meters which separated her from both newcomers, a stake in her hand and a resolute look on her face.

« You know it will last less than two minutes? » Questioned Angel.

« If I get lucky, others are going to show up » retorted the Slayer while putting herself in action.

Angel grimaced and sighed while glancing at her fight.

« See what I was saying? Fighting monsters is so much easier than talking about feelings » he added, to nobody in particular.

* * *


	9. Feelings part 2

_Sorry about the delay on that one.  
But, hey, i got a beta-reader so it will take a little longer between updates.  
But the result is worth the wait I think!_

_Thanks to Tammy for beta-reading and thanks to everybody who leave feedback!_

* * *

**Chapter 8 : Feelings (part 2)**

Faith got up late the following morning and was reluctantly pulled from bed by the insistent protests of her stomach. She looked at the alarm clock on her night table and noticed that it was just shy of eleven o'clock. She got up, quickly slipped on a tracksuit and went to the kitchen. She thought she would find empty as it was really late, but she was wrong.

Cordelia, Fred and Tara were still sat around the breakfast table. All three greeted her warmly and Tara sent her an adorable and shy smile as she looked at Faith.

« You got up late this morning. Tired? »

" Late Patrol " answered Faith abruptly, sending hardly a glance to the three young ladies.

Then she opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of milk. She poured a glass, before coming towards the table to look for what remained from breakfast.

« We saved you some doughnuts. » said Tara with a slightly hesitating voice while handing her the box.

Faith put one in her mouth then took two others, before going to the exit under the stunned eyes of the three young women.

« Looks like the Slayer got up in a bad mood! » Cordelia threw behind her while Faith disappeared from their sight.

Fred and Cordelia exchanged a glance before looking at Tara. She offered them a half-smile.

« I think it's my fault » explained the witch slowly. « I think I made her angry last night»

Cordelia raised her eyes to the sky and shrugged when she saw the sorry look on Tara's face.

« Don't worry, it'll pass. A day for her to be a pain in the ass, a night to kill vampires and you'll have your Faith back, believe me. »

Cordelia punctuated her assertion with a convinced nod of her head before starting again on the tone of conversation:

« Not that I understand how you can be friend with that ass, but we all have our weaknesses after all. »

-------------------------

And Cordelia was partly right. Faith spent the major part of the day outside, returned only after dinnertime which she ate quickly only before joining Angel, Gunn and Wesley on patrol. She took care during the day to avoid crossing the girls of the group and returned in the early hours of morning, long after the boys.

Although disappointed not to have seen the Slayer all day, Tara decided to follow Cordelia's advice and wait for the next day when Faith's gloomy humor - whatever her reason was - had passed. The witch thus spent the evening with Fred in the library and enjoyed the company of the young woman.

But the next day did not return to normal as Tara had thought and hoped for it. Faith didn't come to wake her as usual and she didn't show herself at breakfast, nor even in the morning.

The Slayer made her first appearance of the day at around midday, while the gang - except Wesley because he had a lunch in city - was gathered for the meal. She sat down at an end of the table, showed her most stubborn look so that nobody spoke to her and disappeared as soon as her last piece of food was swallowed under the inquisitive looks of all her companions.

« Looks like Faith came back in a wild mood » pointed out Gunn while turning to Tara. «Something happen? »

Tara had a light smile.

« I … I don't really know … »

Gunn didn't insist and nobody else returned to the subject while the group fussed to arrange the kitchen.

Again, Tara only saw Faith at the following mealtime . This time, the Slayer settled down with Angel and talked about weapons, evils and patrols with animation during all of dinner, never keeping silent long enough for anyone to speak to her. And at the end of the dinner, Tara moved on her with a smile to ask her if everything was okay, Faith just threw her an evasive " five by five" before pulling Angel after her towards the training room. Tara's wounded and saddened expression escaped none of the occupants of the room.

Just as the previous night, Faith did not return until the late morning hours. The next day, she avoided contact with the inhabitants of the hotel. Tara, who wanted to understand where she had hurt the Slayer and apologize for it, eventually gave up because Faith's evasions got colder each time and hoped that she would eventually come back simply by herself. And if it wasn't the case, Tara thought with regret, that it wouldn't be the first time that somebody would ignore her.

She thus spent her days, locked in the library, more so than previously, often together with Fred, sometimes with Cordelia who sighed in a significant way at the evident pain of the witch. "After all" Cordelia told herself. « Could a healthy person be sad that Faith doesn't speak to her any more? ». The answer was apparently yes, although the former cheerleader still wasn't convinced completely of Tara's mental health. But it was stronger than her, Faith's attitude irritated her.

She had even spoken to Angel on the matter. He had vaguely explained the incident between Faith and Tara and Cordelia had been only able to roll her eyes and to raise her arms to the sky, wondering what could indeed take place in the Slayer's head. She had then almost ordered Angel to speak to Faith so that she would change her behavior, but the vampire had admitted having already tried and collided with a wall. Cordelia had mumbled something about vampires, Slayers and the way they saw social relations and had left.

-----------------------------

This had lasted for several days, when on the fifth morning, Cordelia landed without warning in the Slayer's room. Faith had come back at dawn from patrol, was still lazy in her bed, and her face showed an expression far from happy at the young woman's intrusion.

« What are you fucking doing here? » Growled Faith.

But Cordelia paid no attention to the evident aggressiveness of the Slayer and having closed the door behind her, stood, hands on her hips, in front of the bed in which Faith was still half buried.

« What's your problem Faith? » She asked abruptly in a sharp tone.

Faith looked at her without understanding and sent her a murderous glance, which did not have the expected effect on the former cheerleader.

« What problem? » She eventually muttered, seeing that Cordelia didn't stumble.

« What problem? The Tara problem » said Cordelia with a tone of exasperation.

« What about Tara? » Muttered Faith, even more aggressively than before.

« What are you doing with her? » Resumed Cordelia as she started pacing the room. « For weeks, you are inseparable, we don't see one of you without the other at almost every hour of day or night. You became almost sociable, my God, I was almost finding you nice! » The young lady exclaimed as she stood in front of Faith. « And suddenly, you don't talk to her any more, you avoid her in every possible way and then you begin to hang around at night again. So I ask: what's your problem? »

« None of your business» murmured Faith and turned her back to her intruder, apparently deciding to ignore her presence.

« I think it's my business» protested Cordelia.

Then she approached the bed and pulled the blankets that Faith was rolled up in. The reaction of the Slayer wasn't long in coming. She turned around with fury, a pissed off look on her face.

« Hey! What the hell do you think your doing? »

But Cordelia remained as unmoved at the Slayer's outburst as before.

« Tara's sad » she asserted slowly.

Then seeing that Faith looked at her again and seemed to listen to her, she resumed pacing the room while starting again.

« Well, Ok, I understand, you, the great leather hottie, who screws guy after guy, in love with a small shy witch, that doesn't stick to your image. »

Faith muttered something about image Cordelia didn't quite understand before murmuring a little more loudly.

« I'm not in love with her. For God's sake, where the hell did you get that? » She finished almost roaring

Cordelia stopped again and looked at her with her piercing eyes, as if she had tried to feel the truth of this assertion. Then she made a vague wave of her hand and started again:

« Whatever. Whatever you have in mind or in your heart if you have one, Tara's sad. And you owe her an explanation. At least that. Even if my advice would rather be to say to her how you feel about her and damn your image. Anyway, that wouldn't hurt you to change it. »

A new dark glance from Faith who had leaned on her elbows to look at her, made Cordelia smile, and the former cheerleader added with a grin :

« Or, if you like your image that much, pin her down to a wall and kiss her senseless. Who knows, that could also work. But for God's sake, do SOMETHING, I can't see her being so sad anymore. »

And with that, the former cheerleader left the room, leaving a dumbfounded Faith.

------------------------

The night was about to fall on Los Angeles when Faith came back to the Hyperion after having spent most of the day grinding alone outside. When she entered the lobby, she passed Cordelia who was fussing at the counter. The former cheerleader raised her eyes from what she was doing to see her entering. She glanced at her with a piercing and annoyed glance, but got out of sending her a word. Faith stopped a moment in front of the door and looked in her direction, seemed to hesitate on the direction to be taking, then crossed the lobby to go to the kitchen. It was plunged into darkness and from the good smell, Faith guessed that the meal was almost finished cooking in the oven for the imminent dinner.

She turned on her heels and again crossed the lobby where Cordelia hadn't moved from. As before, the young lady watched the Slayer without saying anything to her. Faith climbed the stairs four at a time, where she stopped by her room to drop off her jacket.

Then she went to the library and saw that the door was half-opened. Faith stopped on the doorstep. Some meters from her, Tara and Fred were both sat at the table, several books and exercise books opened in front of them, a pencil in hand. Both young ladies discussed calmly and cheerfully. Although Tara had her back three quarters in regard to her, Faith could guess her smile while Fred laughed at what Tara had said to her. But the laughter of the young lady faded when she raised her head and saw Faith at the doorstep. Tara turned around to follow her glance and she offered Faith the shy smile that the Slayer liked so much.

« Hey Faith » she said simply.

« Hey » Faith answered quite low, moving into the room.

She sat down at the table across from where Tara was settled and cast a circular glance to the books put in front of both girls.

« So, what are you doing? » She asked in a tone that she forced to be relaxed.

Tara smiled again, more frankly, before answering:

« Actually, we looked at spells and we tried to translate old texts of rites … »

« That seems cool » approved Faith, while nodding her head silly.

An uncomfortable silence followed. None of the three girls seemed really comfortable, or seemed to know what to do or say. After a few moments, Faith decided to get up and to leave but Fred outmoved her when she saw her moving.

« I'm going to leave you girls! I have a thing to do … You know, Tara, I have to see Angel, speak to him about spells. He told me to speak to him about it. So, as we learned a little more, I am going to go to speak to him about it. And we shall see each other later. See you later Tara. And see you later Faith »

And with that, the woman got up, closed a book that she put under her arm and hurried towards the exit without leaving any time for the others to react.  
Faith and Tara remained alone. One moment, each of them avoided the glance of the other, Faith letting her eyes roam everywhere in the room, Tara's riveted on the book in front of her.

"OK" said Faith finally. « I think I have to say something to you. »

Tara raised her head towards her and noticed the nervousness of the Slayer whose fingers tapped nervously on the edge of the table and who still avoided her glance.

« I wanted to say to you that I am so... » Began Faith

« No, I understand, Faith » interrupted Tara self-assuredly. « I understand very well you know. »

Faith looked at her in astonishment and frowned while Tara continued.

« You are the Slayer. You have your Slayer's things. And to spend time with me is probably not always very fun for you. I understand you need to take a break, to make your own thing, fun things… »

« Tara, no » Faith exclaimed with horror. « It isn't about that, I guarantee you. It's... it's just me … »

« I promise, Faith, I understand, no... no problem. »

« Cordelia said you were sad » said suddenly the Slayer.

Tara lowered her eyes, embarrassed by the remark of her friend.

« It's just... it's just that … I was used to your presence. And then, you know, before, I never had somebody like you in my life. I … »

« Somebody like me? What do you mean here? » Interrogated Faith, opening wide eyes. And she hated the way she felt her throat getting dry and her voice had trembled slightly. Very slightly. But she had trembled. And Faith hated that.

Tara lowered her eyes again and seemed even shier than before, which ended up putting Faith ill-at-ease. Abruptly unable to keep still, the Slayer got up and made the tour of the table to get closer to the blonde witch. Arriving across from her, she remained at first standing, rocking from one foot to the other, hesitating to look at Tara who had raised her eyes towards her and frowned when she had got up. Faith decided finally to perch on the table again, next to Tara this time, but at respectable distance.

« You know » Faith resumed, while Tara was still silent. « I know what I'm going to say is probably stupid, but I... I think I like you »

« Hopefully, it's not completely stupid »joked Tara, offering to Faith an immense smile.

Faith was unable to repress a small laughter at the blonde's comment.

« I guess it's not » she approved.

Tara smiled to her again and got up. She approached the Slayer and sat down on the table in her turn, being careful to leave a reasonable space between Faith and her. Both girls looked away from each other, each seeming to hesitate on the continuation of this conversation. Faith was particularly nervous and had to make an effort on herself to prevent her fingers from tapping on the edge of the table. Having turned words over and over again, sentences after sentences, having examined the possibilities offered to her, having remembered Cordelia's words, Angel's ones and the last months which had just passed by, Faith succeeded in collecting enough courage to look at Tara face to face and speak. But as she got ready to do it, the witch started.

« What I wanted to say earlier, about you... » Began Tara.

Faith opened her mouth as she got ready to speak and closed it to let Tara say what she had to say.

« In Sunnydale, I made friends for the first time. You know, Buffy, Xander, Anya. And even Mr Giles »

She laughed lightly at the fact of evoking Giles as a friend and Faith also smiled to her.

« But before anything else, they were all Willow's friends first. They are the Scooby-gang, and even if they like me, I remain nevertheless just Willow's girlfriend. »

Faith nodded her head, the feeling Tara evoked not being unknown to her. She too remembered having had this sensation to be around the group without ever really being a member.

« With you, it's totally different from what I lived there » resumed Tara. « With you, I really had the feeling that what's between us, it really belonged to me in a sense. »

Faith smiled again, more shyly this time, at the same moment touched, proud and shaken by the words of the blonde.

« I never had a friend to me before. A friend for me » continued Tara.

Faith quivered slightly and frowned.

« A friend? » She repeated, as to be sure.

Tara tilted her head towards her and sent her a shy smile.

« Not only a friend » she confided and Faith had the sensation that her heart stopped beating in her chest.

" The best " finished Tara.

Again, Faith thought her vital functions had stopped working for a moment and her smile fainted on her face. But it lasted only a fleeting second and the Slayer offered a hesitating smile to the blonde witch.

« Best friends then? » She asked, assuring her voice.

« Best friends » Tara confirmed, while presenting the Slayer her characteristic smile.

And Faith tried simply to force hers a little more in reply.

-------------------------------------------


	10. Beyond the murderer, beyond the freak

_Thanks to everyone for the reviews ! Keep them coming !_

_And again, many thanks to my beta-reader, Tammy for her great and HARD work !_

_Hope you'll all enjoy that part!_

---------------------------

**Chapter 9 : Beyond the murderer, beyond the freak**

Tara plunged a glass into the soapy water of the kitchen sink in front of her, while at her side, Cordelia and Fred each wiped a plate before arranging them in a wall cupboard. When Tara had finished, she handed the glass she had just washed to Cordelia before seizing a dish and plunging it into the kitchen sink.

« I can't believe what we're doing » muttered Cordelia.

« How's that? » Fred asked slowly, with a sweet voice while Tara cast an amused glance to the former cheerleader.

« Dishwashing. All of us. The girls. The girls are dishwashing, the boys are patrolling. Isn't that a little bit predictable? » The young woman asked sincerely, with a slightly exaggerated tone.

« Faith's patrolling and she's a girl. » Pointed out Tara.

Cordelia frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, after placing the glass on the counter.« Faith's a Slayer. She's not a real girl » she argued.

« Not a real girl? » Fred giggled.

« It's true » continued Cordelia, defending her point of view. « Always swearing, always looking for a fight, always has bruises everywhere, always wears jeans so old that they could have belonged to my mother if she wasn't so sophisticated. I bet there's not even a single dress or skirt in her clothes. Or even a suitable blouse. »

Cordelia threw the cloth she had used for wiping over her shoulder and leaned against the counter behind her, before nodding her head to support her statements. Tara and Fred looked at each other with a smile.

« Buffy's very pretty. And she's a Slayer too » argued Tara.

"Buffy" repeated Cordelia while raising her eyes in the sky. « Ok. There's dresses in her wall cupboards. And blouses. But about bruises, fights and bad jokes, she isn't any better than Faith. So my point's still valid. »

Again, Fred and Tara exchanged an amused glance.

« Last time when she cooked breakfast, it is was YOU who ordered her to never do it again » pointed out Fred, while continuing to wipe. « And Faith spends more time in this kitchen than you » she added while throwing a wink of eye to Tara.

« Hey! » Said Cordelia. « She's only ever in the kitchen to steal in dishes, grab food or influence Tara on the menu »

Tara turned to Cordelia and cast her a shocked glance.

« Hey! » She protested.

« Oh that's true! » said Cordelia while rolling her eyes. « She always comes in a gushes: ' Oh Tara, I like those potatoes. ' ' Oh, Tara, I'm dreaming of a triple cheeseburger'. »

Cordelia stopped her rant when she saw that both girls in front of her were roaring.

« That's SO true » asserted Cordelia with certainty.

« What's so true? » Asked a new voice.

The three girls turned around and saw Faith's silhouette leaning against the side of the door.

« Talk of the devil and he's sure to appear. » Cordelia grumbled to her.

The Slayer advanced in the room with a resolute step and opened wall cupboards, apparently in search of something.

« What are you doing here? » Asked Cordelia.

« You're not patrolling with the others? » Clarified Tara.

Faith pulled a package of marshmallows from the wall cupboard, which she opened with a precise gesture. She then put two of them in her mouth, before perching on the counter in front of the three young ladies.

« Angel said that as I had patrolled a lot lately, I could have a free evening »

Cordelia narrowed her eyes towards the Slayer then issued a contemptuous sniffing.

« That vampire is really too good to you »

Faith sent her an amused grin while swallowing a handful of marshmallows before asking:

« So, what's your plans for tonight? »

« Nothing for me » said Fred at once. « I'm tired, I'm going to go to bed »

The young lady threw down her towel and after a gesture to her companions, went out of the kitchen and disappeared from their sight.

« And you Queen C? »

Cordelia stared at her from head to toes with acuteness before throwing in a very serious tone:

« I'm not doing anything that's with you for a whole evening. So, I'm going to take Fred's lead and leave you all alone with Tara. »

Cordelia added an amused grimace and quickly escaped from the kitchen in her turn, leaving the two friends alone.

« Looks like I made everyone run away » Faith commented, eating a small piece of marshmallow and looking in the direction that Fred and Cordelia just took.

« Hum … I'm still here » pointed out Tara.

Faith turned again to her and smiled.

« So, all alone with you » she began with a roguish smile. « What are we going to do?»

Tara wasn't able to repress a light blush at the Slayer's comment and had some difficulty in not stuttering her answer:

« A mo...movie? As usual? »

« I had thought of bringing you to Caritas to finish your dancing lessons. But a TV evening works for me… »

« I thought, as we didn't see too much each other these last days … »

" No problem " interrupted Faith by jumping at the foot of the counter. « Let me collect some stuff and we can go! »

The Slayer grabbed the half eaten bag of marshmallows and left to browse all of the wall cupboards. Having added to her booty an enormous package of chips and three plates of chocolate under Tara's stunned glance, Faith caught the witch by an arm to pulled her after her.

« C'mon, Blondie, I'm ready! We can go! »

« You're really going to eat all this? » Tara asked, while following Faith out of the kitchen and through the lobby.

Faith considered what she held in her hands.

« Hmm … I might be able to leave you a little » she proposed. « But otherwise, yes, I intend to eat all this. »

« I guess you can » admitted Tara.

Both girls quickly climbed the stair and arrived in Tara's room. While Tara disappeared in the bathroom, Faith found in her dresser clothes that she had gotten used to leaving in anticipation of the numerous evenings that she spent there. She changed in an instant and deftly jumped up on the bed. The Slayer settled on the place which she was in the habit of occupying and wasn't able to refrain from feeling good to find a place she knew to be hers. A feeling of satisfaction and familiarity that she had never known seized her and Faith wasn't able to refrain from smiling to the empty room. Hearing the water flowing in the bathroom, she got up from the bed and sat down close to the TV and began to review the pile of DVDs, which both girls had eventually amassed in Tara's room to the great displeasure of the other inhabitants. She had finally stopped on one of the titles when Tara reappeared in the room. The witch wore a rather short pair of shorts, which revealed her long pale legs and a wide white T-shirt. Faith offered her a smile and returned to her task while Tara settled on the bed.

« So, did you find something you would like to watch? »

Faith showed her a DVD with a big satisfied smile.

« As we have already watched all of the Starwars movies, what do you think about Harry Potter? » She asked with a triumphant look.

But the blonde's reaction wasn't exactly the one she expected.

« Magic? » She interrogated and frowned.

« Yes! Magic! » Faith enthusiastically exclaimed. « You're a magic girl yourself, aren't you? » She added with a knowing smile.

But Tara didn't seem as enthusiastic as her friend.

« I... I'm... am not sure I'm in a very Ha … Harry Po … Potter mood » she articulated with difficulty.

Faith could not help from frowning at the insistent stammering of the blonde.

« C'mon Tara, it's really good, you'll see » she insisted nevertheless, with a sweeter tone and pretending to pout.

"OK" Tara surrendered finally, when she saw the begging look on the Slayer's face. « You know your not really terrifying when you're doing that? » She added, smiling indulgently.

Faith took the DVD out of its box, put it in the drive and jumped up on her feet, apparently very happy to have won. She then threw herself on the bed heavily, bouncing next to Tara with a childish smile.

« Then, you should take advantage of it, Blondie » she answered. « The rest of the time, I am ALWAYS terrifying »

Tara presented her with a skeptical glance but added nothing on the subject while the Slayer settled herself comfortably beside her. She then tore open the package of chips and swallowed a handful before pressing the play button. The movie started and both girls attended silently - except for the noise of Faith's jaws - to the first adventures of the small witch on large screen. Between two scenes and two mouthfuls of chips or chocolate, the Slayer could not refrain from casting furtive glances to Tara and was able to notice the tension that overtook the witch, as the movie played.« Have you already read Harry Potter? » Faith eventually asked.

Tara turned to her with a hesitating glance and nodded her head.

« And... and you? »

« Yeah. I discovered it in prison. Before, I wasn't really a reading kinda girl… But in prison… Lots of spare time. »

« And did you like it? »

« Yeah. Not that I'm into the whole magic stuff or anything. But it's nice. And then it's a change from prison life. »

« Not that much » murmured Tara

Faith turned her head and put inquisitive eyes on the witch.

« What do you mean ? »

Tara seemed to hesitate, then beckoned towards the screen, where uncle Vernon locked the small Harry Potter into his wall cupboard under the stair.

« This... is kinda like prison. »

Faith turned to the TV then to Tara again.

« This seems to put you ill-at-ease » she said finally.

Tara's glance returned towards the TV and she shook her head.

« No, no … »

It was silent for a few moments and Faith consciously observed Tara, who tried desperately to seem unaffected.

« C'mon Tara! » She insisted. « I know you a little better now. What's wrong? »

The question had been asked with a much sweeter tone and Faith held out her hand towards Tara, whose fingers she brushed friendly. Tara shivered and turned to her.

« It's just » she began. « It's jus... just … »

But the words wouldn't come out. Tara swallowed with difficulty and tried to calm the fear that had risen in her. Seeing her struggle, the Slayer spread her fingers on the witch's hand. Then she dragged them slowly between Tara's before letting her thumb slowly go back and forth on the back of Tara's hand. The blonde didn't seem to notice this gesture of rare affection and started again with a hesitating voice.

« When I... I was a child, my father... my father sometimes locked me into the cellar … »

Tara shivered again and Faith's eyes widened with horror when she realized what these simple words could hide.

« Your father? » She asked with a sweetness in which she surprised even herself.

"Yes" answered Tara whose glance was again fixed on the television in front of her. « He... he said that I was going to become a de... demon and that he had to… »

« You, a demon? » Faith exclaimed in astonishment.

Tara nodded her head with sadness.

« Yes. He said I would become a demon when I'd turn 20 … That I would be dangerous … That it was necessary to ... con... control me … »

Silence again fell between the girls, during which Faith continued to caress Tara's hand with her thumb with an absent look.

« He... he was violent? » The Slayer finally asked, without looking at the witch.

"Yes" answered Tara without hesitation. « He and my brother, they were sometimes rough. »

« Your brother too? » Faith asked.

Then the Slayer remembered with horror her comment on the fact of having a brother that first time that Tara had mentioned to having one.

« Oh! Tara! I'm sorry, the first time when you spoke about it, I said it was great to have a brother and … »

« That's nothing Faith » interrupted the blonde. « You knew nothing about it. It's not important … »

Both girls still kept silent, each stuck in their own thoughts.

« My mother wasn't always soft either » Faith said finally.

This time, it was Tara who squeezed Faith's hand in her own.

« Oh Faith! »

« But at least, she was alone » she added. « And she didn't try to persuade me that I was a demon. Though I was one, actually » she joked to relax the atmosphere that had become loaded.

« You weren't one » said Tara, smiling to her and putting her free hand in the Slayer's hair to loosen a lock which fell half on her face. « And no child should ever grow up believing this kind of thing … »

Faith smiled at her and raised her eyes towards Tara. She was shaken to see the tenderness and condolence when Tara looked at her. She wondered for a moment, what it would feel like to grow up thinking that you would become a monster.

« You really believed that you were going to become a demon? »

The witch nodded thoughtfully.

« Yes. I think that made me a little bit antisocial … Well … Not just a little... I had never had friends before meeting Wi … Wil … Willow. »

The witch diverted her eyes, ashamed to have stuttered her ex's name and Faith again squeezed the hand in hers.

« What happened with her? »

Tara quickly turned toward her, apparently surprised by the question.

« I mean » resumed Faith by feigning innocence. « You mentioned there had been something between you two. And as you suffer, I more or less figured that she hurt you in a sense … »

Tara seemed to hesitate and for one moment, Faith regretted having gone so far. But finally, the witch started talking.

« She... she sank into magic » she explained so low that Faith had to get closer to hear her. « She began doing too much magic. And it's dangerous. I... I said it to her. And I guess she took it badly and we argued about it. I can only guess because she put a spell on me so that I would forget our fight. I found out about it and I talked to her. She... she promised she wouldn't do any magic for a week. And the next day, she did another a forgetting spell … But the spell backfired and I realized it. This time, I left … »

« Oh my God! » Faith exclaimed on a horrified tone.

The Slayer had difficulty in understanding what she meant about Willow doing too much magic or how a person can put a forgetting spell on the person you love. But somewhere in her mind, she knew it was an attack. A very grave attack. And Tara's pulled face, the tears she was trying to contain could only confirm that thought. And in another corner of her mind, she said to herself that anything which made Tara suffer was probably grave, anyway.

She tried to remember Willow. To imagine her doing such things. At first, she had difficulty in seeing how the redhead had been able to go there. Then she remembered. She remembered Willow's hard words when she and the mayor had held her as hostage. She remembered how much she had been hurt, much more than she would never admit and she especially remembered Willow's glance, the quasi-pride and the satisfaction in which she had taken to be so tough with her. Not that Faith can blame her for that. But maybe Willow wasn't ONLY the brilliant and kind girl that she appeared to be after all. She too, could do stupid things. Tara, sitting beside her and stroking her hair, was living proof, thought Faith. And at this moment, a part of her was very happy of Willow's stupidity.

« She... she wanted to control me. » resumed Tara. « And... and I couldn't let her do that. I was just a freak before her. Unable to speak to anybody or to look them in the eye. She broke me out of my shell. And the last thing I wanted, was her sending me back there. Not her. »

« You're not a freak» Asserted Faith. « You know, I'm not very smart or sly or something, but that's something I'm sure of. You're not a freak. You're a wonderful person, Tara. »

Tara smiled at her and wasn't able to contain a light blushing at the dark haired Slayer's sincere compliment. Faith squeezed Tara's hand in hers again and resumed after a second of hesitance:

« You needed courage to do what you did. You still loved her but you preferred to leave rather than to let her do things you do not agree with. I thought I was strong, but I realize you're much stronger than me. »

Tara frowned and looked at the Slayer with an inquisitive look.

"Yeah" explained Faith. « I, I would have done anything for Wilkins to love me. Anything. You preferred to leave instead of closing your eyes. Even if it was hard. It's all the difference between you and me »

Faith's glance turned away again from her and Tara put her hand under her chin to make her raise her head towards her.

« You were so young Faith. You made bad choices and you had nobody to tell you not to make them. You've changed, you chose to change and to be a better person. That took courage too. »

« But... but what if I haven't really changed? » Interrogated Faith, with a slight trembling voice. « What if I can't change? You saw me, the other evening, in the grave … »

« You've already changed... And I guess no change can be made without a hitch, Faith … And then, nevertheless, it was different … Angel said you were afraid that I could be killed … You protected me. »

At first, Faith didn't say anything.

"I would have killed him if you hadn't been there" She finally said.

"If I hadn't been there, you wouldn't of had to protect me in the first place" Tara answered with a smile.

"I'm a murderer" Faith abruptly stated. "How can a girl like you, be a friend to me?"

"'Cause you're not JUST a murderer. You were. It's part of your past. But it's not what you are. Just like you're not only a Slayer. There is so much more to you, Faith. I hope one day, you'll be able to see it."

----------------------------------------

Tara woke up to the sweet sunlight, which shone in her room through half-closed curtains. The witch was immediately aware of Faith's presence beside her. Tara turned her head slightly to the left and saw that Faith was still sleeping, lying on her stomach as usual. One of her arms was folded up under her, while the other was stretched out on Tara's stomach. Tara smiled, seeing as Faith had almost snuggled up to her. She sat up slightly and lightly put her hand in Faith's hair.

After the movie, both women had spent a good part of the night simply talking, at first about everything and nothing, then about the present before returning to the past. A painful past in which Faith had never really shared, except for a few bits and pieces. And she had just let everything come out in one breath. The witch didn't really know how she had succeeded in putting the Slayer at-ease enough to talk about it even a little bit.

Maybe the fact that Tara had talked about her own harsh childhood, with the physical and psychological violence, Faith had decided to share hers. To talk about her mother, who drank so much that she sometimes forgot her existence. Except, of course, when Faith wished that she did effectively forget her. Because when her mother suddenly remembered having a daughter - and it sometimes happened - it wasn't to a share a moment of tenderness, nor to make sure that she ate as a kid of her age should, or that she went to school or that she was correctly dressed. It wasn't either to apologize for forgetting her in their miserable apartment, deprived of water and electricity. It wasn't to promise her daughter that she was finally going to stop drinking and that they would have a normal life. It wasn't to give an ounce of hope that the next days would be better than before.

No, when Faith's mother remembered her, it was only because she was running out of drinks. And Faith seemed to be a good means to make things better; either to let off steam on her, or to get some more booze by sending the terrorized child to beg for money in the streets of Boston.

Faith could not find the words to express how much she hated her mother. But how much she had hoped a gesture or a word of tenderness from her mom over the years had been even harder for her to express.

What she had been able to explain on the other hand, were the numerous times that she was sent to centers for minors in precarious domestic situation. This only happened when somebody had finally decided to report her case to social services. Since then, Faith has never seen her mother or even heard about her. Since she had left her on that day, and as her mother's last words to her had been to call her 'a worthless waste', Faith's mother had never tried anything to have her back or even to contact her.  
Faith thought she was dead. A woman like her couldn't have had big expectations of survival. But Faith didn't care. And for the first time in her life, she had admitted that it was frightening her. Being indifferent to her own mother's fate terrified her. Who was she to not care about her mother's fate? A monster.

The monster who had just been locked in prison. The monster who had killed Finch and claimed to not care about it. The monster who had worked for mayor Wilkins. The monster who had wanted to kill Angel, Buffy, Xander and Willow. The monster, who at one time, had wished they were all dead. The monster she had been and who might be ready to wake up again at the first opportunity. The monster she had wished to become when she was the laughing stock of her school because of her too big, too old, too dirty clothes. The monster she thought she had become when loneliness and despair were her only companions in the minor center, when young people of her age were going to high school. The monster she thought she had left behind when her first Watcher had come look for her, to show her that she could be more than the worthless waste that the whole world had wanted to make her become. The monster which had re-appeared when Gwendolyn Post and then Wesley had crushed between their hands the last reliable tracks of trust that she was ready to grant around her in spite of an already too long list of abandonment and disappointment. The monster she had hated more than all she had believed hating before. Herself.

How Faith had told all of this to Tara, she didn't know. She also didn't know how she had come to talk about her 'get some-get gone' senseless nights of sex no matter with who, without love, without joy and way too often, even without pleasure. How the tears she had kept to herself for years had eventually flowed on her cheeks the previous night, she didn't know.

But she had cried. Cried as Tara knew the Slayer had never cried. And she had even let the witch hug her to try to comfort her. And Tara had accepted the trust so offered by Faith as a rare and precious present.

Automatically, Tara's fingers ran along Faith's dark tresses. And a sensation mixed with pride, satisfaction, happiness and tenderness seized her, while she simply stayed there, smiling with fondness and contemplating the young woman sleeping peacefully beside her.

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_Next chapter coming next week !_


	11. Possibles

_Thanks everybody who let a review!_

_And many great thanks to Tammy for beta-reading this chapter !_

_Enjoy !_

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**Chapter 10 : Possibles**

« Tonight, we're all going to Caritas » Angel suddenly announced at lunch.

Everyone turned and looked at him.

« What? » Said Gunn.

« Lorne called » resumed Angel. « He's too busy to come by lately and protested against our absence. He threatens to throw a demon attack against the hotel if we don't show ourselves, I have … »

« We'd kick those demon's asses! » Faith enthusiastically exclaimed.

« I said » resumed Angel as if Faith hadn't intervened. « ...that we would be all over there this evening »

A general rustle overcame the group at this piece of news and Angel waited until the silence returned to finish.

« And everybody will have to sing. Even me. »

A new rustle rose in the group, concluded again by the dark-haired Slayer.

« I can't wait to see that Fang-boy! »

« Even you, Faith » insisted Angel, raising his eyes to the sky.

« No problem! » Faith answered quickly, while finishing her plate. « I sang last time, with Tar »

Angel was surprised at this statement. Surprised by the use of a nickname for Tara which wasn't a nickname beginning with Queen-something or a simple letter and surprised by the fact that Faith really sang in public. A glance to his companions showed him that they all shared his incredulity, Tara excluded.

« So what?» Said Faith, noticing the scrutiny she was the subject of. « He offered me the meal in exchange for a song »

« Everything got explained » mumbled Cordelia.

« Indeed, this being said » declared Angel by getting up. « We have a meeting this afternoon at the courthouse. And we have to hurry or we'll be late. Wes, Cordy? Gunn, Fred? »

All four got up and nodded. Angel turned towards Tara who began to clear the table, and Faith who was discreetly finishing Tara's plate. Angel frowned and although she noticed it, Faith didn't stop and offered a perfectly innocent smile to the vampire.

« We're going to help you before leaving » proposed Angel to the blonde witch.

But Tara scanned the proposition with her hand.

« It isn't necessary Angel, it's not a problem for me to take care of this. And Faith is going to help me »

Saying that, Tara turned to Faith who stopped her cleaning of Tara's plate and nodded her head, with a serious look on her face.

« You see? » Resumed Tara on a light tone by turning again to Angel. " No problem "

----------------------------

Actually, Faith's help was strikingly limited. The Slayer transported the dirty dishes up to the kitchen sink and filled one with soapy warm water before sitting down on a stool and placing her elbows on the counter. In front of her, on the other side of the counter, Tara had settled into the dishwashing and cleaned plate after plate, diligently.

« So, what do you plan to sing this evening? » Asked the witch.

« Don't know » answered Faith lazily. « Maybe I won't sing »

« Why wouldn't you sing? » Tara asked, while turning to her.

« If what I heard is correct, it's possible that after Angel sings, nobody will want to hear a song for the rest of the evening! »

Tara smiled widely and Faith appreciated the joyful light which shone in her eyes.

« And you? » She asked in her turn.

« I don't know yet » Tara answered thoughtfully, on her way back towards her kitchen sink and resuming her task. « Something cheerful? »

Faith nodded thoughtfully and put her eyes on the witch's blonde hair bathed with light. Her glance followed the locks which fell gracefully on the young woman's shoulders, came down along the pale arms, travelled along the delicious curves of her hips before continuing its journey by trailing along Tara's half-bare legs. Then Faith's eyes took the reverse path and detailed the witch's generous curves, stopped on the curve of a breast she hardly guessed from where she was, eyed greedily the ounce of face she perceived.  
Faith swallowed with difficulty while her throat dried out, and she was suddenly very hot. Again, her eyes scanned Tara's body with acuteness. The sensation of the witch's closeness returned to her and Faith got up slowly. She went down at the foot of her stool and made the tour of the counter. She slowly approached the witch, who continued to clean her plates, and delicately put her hands on the blonde's hips.

"Tara" she murmured quite low while bending slightly towards the ear of the young lady.

Tara shivered in a imperceptible way when she felt Faith's hands settling on her and she turned around slowly when she heard the Slayer say her name. She shivered when she saw Faith's face suddenly so close of hers and when she felt her warm breath against her skin. The Slayer turned the witch towards her by pressing on her hips. Tara wiped her hands along the apron she had attached to her waistline.

Both young ladies stared at each other for a long moment, their faces separated by mere inches. Tara could see a shining fervor in Faith's eyes that she had never seen and the Slayer saw an elusive glowing light in Tara's.

An urgent need to take Tara here and now seized Faith and made her swallow loudly, while she tried to contain the uncontrollable desire she felt growing within her.  
She slowly bent forward until being at the closest distance in which she could be from Tara without touching her lips. She fixed the witch's glance with intensity, seeming to wait for a reaction. She got none.

Then, she closed the distance which separated them until their lips touched. Tara didn't react at first and Faith hardly moved her lips. As Faith tried to collect her thoughts and realized the lack of reaction, Tara kissed her. Slowly, quite slowly at first, before putting her hand behind Faith's head to pull her closer to her. Their two bodies came in full contact with each other and Faith leaned even more against the witch, whose kiss gave a burst of pleasure more intense than all that she had known. Faith moved her tongue, with delicacy on Tara's lips and she felt the blonde's mouth half-opening under her. The Slayer didn't waste time to answer the welcome invitation and dragged her tongue in Tara's mouth where she caressed the blonde's one with delicacy. At first, Tara answered Faith's caresses with the same attention before deepening the kiss with passion. The force of the sensation which worked its way into Faith made her moan in the kiss, and the Slayer, in her turn, raised her hand to behind Tara's head with force. Her other hand slipped, almost in spite of her, under Tara's shirt and went back up slowly along the bare skin tearing away a discreet groan from Tara at the time. Faith's fingers lightly caressed the blonde's stomach, continued their progress up to her chest, drew the curve of a breast with a trembling hand and...

« Faith, are you listenning to me? »

Faith brutally jerked on her stool and nearly slid and collapsed on the ground. She deeply raised her head to meet herself nose to nose with Tara who had interrupted her dishwashing and was on the other side of the counter in front of her. Faith blinked once or twice to get out of her fantasy and tried to calm her panting breath and the fire that was burning her cheeks. She tried to hide her confusion by saying something, but failed pitifully.

« I … I … What? »

Tara crossed her arms over her chest and made a sulky grimace.

« So, you weren't listenning. » She concluded.

« I … I'm sorry. » Faltered Faith. « I was daydreaming … »

Tara had a frank and amused smile.

« I bet you were ! You had such a dreamy look on your face! »

She bent forward towards Faith and put her index finger with tenderness on her cheek.

« So, what could my little Slayer dream about? » She asked more to herself than to Faith. « Let me guess … »

Saying it, Tara got up and paced the room, apparently in search of an idea. If she had looked at Faith instead, she would have seen the Slayer becoming crimson. But the blonde noticed nothing when she turned again to Faith:

" Hamburgers? Fried? Or then a sweet little pleasure? "

Faith let escape a sigh of relief and wasn't able to refrain from smiling when she answered:

« Something like that »

-------------------------

« Tara, phone call! » Cordelia shouted from the lobby.

The blonde bent over the rail and saw Cordelia tighten the telephone towards her. She cast a last glance to Faith's closed door and went down the stairs. When she arrived at the counter, Cordelia put the telephone in her hand with a sigh of relief.

« That unbearable kid has already spoken with Angel and he told me to tell you that it was ok» she added.

« What? » Tara asked while grabbing the receiver.

Cordelia shrugged in a sign of ignorance and left, leaving Tara alone.

« Hello? »

At the other end of the line, the roaring of enjoyment which Dawn let out when she heard her voice almost made her release the receiver. Tara smiled however indulgently, happy to see that Dawn seemed to be doing well.

« Dawn! How are you sweetie? »

The teenager dashed into a very enthusiastic monologue on the last events in Sunnydale, insisting heavily on the upcoming wedding of Xander and Anya and leaving unknown the other things which Tara guessed were less cheerful, without knowing what it was about.  
After letting Dawn chat for a few minutes, getting some news about Buffy, the future couple and hers, Tara collected all of her courage to ask how Willow was doing. With a solemn and almost proud tone Dawn told her that the redhead was doing far better and seemed to be able of getting through her problems with magic.

Tara took the news with care - Dawn sometimes tended to want to arrange everything when it was about both witches - but welcomed it all the same with some kind of relief.  
Cordelia reappeared in the room and settled herself close to her, without paying attention to the witch, while Tara got ready to leave - which Dawn didn't seem to understand.  
The witch was again in full chat mode with the young Summers, when the former cheerleader let escape a derisive exclamation.

« Oh my God! Faith in something else than a pair of jeans or leathers! »

Tara raised her head from the phone and saw the Slayer who was coming down the stairs. She wore a pair of black trousers and a very feminine blouse, Bordeaux, waisted and necklined. Tara, and apparently Cordelia too, had never seen her wearing before.

« Another word and you're dead, Queen C » Faith grumbled, as she reached the lobby.

« And a blouse! » Cordelia again exclaimed, without paying attention to the Slayer's threats.

Faith approached the counter and stood next to Tara, not without having cast a serious glare at the former cheerleader, who couldn't refrain from giggling.

Tara finished her goodbyes to Dawn and hung up the phone without leaving Faith from eyes.

« I told you that you would fit very good with it » she said to her simply.

Cordelia approved with a nod of her head.

« You see, you're not just a Slayer without tastes »

« She is so much more than that » said Tara, by smiling to Faith and discreetly squeezing her wrist in her hand.

Faith shyly returned her smile, under the amused glance of the former cheerleader, who surprisingly refrained from making a comment. Then Cordelia left the girls and went to the training room.

« Well, I'm going to grab the others or we are not going to be leaving any time soon. » she grumbled.

Tara and Faith remained alone. Tara smiled, when she saw Faith straightening her shirt.

« So, phonecall? » Asked Faith, with a little hesitance. « Sunnydale? »

Tara nodded.

« Bad news? » Continued Faith.

« No. It was Dawn. She said that … Willow seems doing better. »

« Ah … well, that's good » said Faith, nodding her head. « It's good. You... you're happy? »

Tara shrugged slightly.

« I... I don't really know. You know, Dawn always tends to exaggerate a little on this subject. She so wants us to get back together … »

« And you? » Faith asked, abruptly.

« Me? Me, what? » Asked Tara who hadn't understood the meaning of her question.

At first, Faith wanted to pull back but in front of Tara's inquisitive look, she eventually explained.

« You, do you want to get back with Willow? »

She finished her question almost in a breath and Tara sent her a curious glance. She seemed to think a moment about it before answering finally:

« It's... it's difficult to say. Of course, I still love her, so yes, a part of me just wishes only that… But another one wonders if we can ever repair, if I could ever really forgive her … »

Faith nodded thoughtfully and a heavy silence settled between the two of them, each looking stubbornly at their shoes. Finally, Faith raised her head and asked on a more relaxed tone:

« What else did the kid say? »

Tara raised her head in her turn and smiled to the Slayer.

« She is going to come to spend the weekend here. To see me. Angel agreed. »

« She's going to come here? » Asked Faith, an ounce of panic in her voice.

« Don't worry, everything will be fine» asserted Tara.

« You know, I don't think she had the best memories about me » answered Faith, looking again at her feet.

« It will be fine, I promise » Tara answered.

Faith was again going to issue an argument against this assertion when the rest of the group appeared from the training room.

« Let's go. » said Angel.

« It's about time. » confirmed Cordelia.

Then, the group went to the exit of the Hyperion, Tara and Faith following closely behind. The witch briefly squeezed the Slayer's hand in hers, while repeating quite low so that she was the only one to hear:

« It will be fine, you'll see »

--------------------------------

Caritas was crammed this evening and they had to elbow their way to the table reserved for them.

« Finally! » The demon exclaimed by seeing them. « You're all here! Even Faith! »

« Why 'even Faith '? » She protested.

« As if you are in the habit of being sociable and going out with us » Cordelia informed her.

Faith grumbled some unintelligible words and the group settled itself. Angel had sat at the middle of the table, Cordelia on one side, Wesley of the other one. Faith sat in front of Cordelia and Tara next to her. Then Fred came. And finally Gunn at one end of the table. Lorne as for him, saved himself a chair in the table end left vacant and left to give instructions in the kitchen. He returned a short time later, a tray loaded with glasses in his arms. Angel was entitled to his mug of blood while the others opted for beers, fruit juices or doubtful home-made cocktail. A generous meal - especially for Faith - followed and took place between bad jokes and exchanges of meanness between the Slayer and the former cheerleader, never in lack of ideas to torment each other.

When the group had finished eating, Lorne reminded them that each of them had to sing on stage. Gunn was the first one to follow this 'order', followed closely by Wesley who got a good dose of sarcasms from an hilarious Faith. Once Wesley had finished, Faith, unable to stay in place, decided that it was time to dance and also decided that Tara had to accompany her.

« No, no, Faith. Remember, I am not really a dancer. »

« C'mon, Blondie » protested the Slayer. « You have to show everybody what a wonderful teacher you had. And you're not that bad, you know. »

Tara shook her head again and started to laugh while seeing the sulky look on the Slayer's face.

« This time, you can't threaten to leave me all alone in the middle of the bar » she said roguishly to the brunette.

Faith pouted some more, which finally made Tara give in.

« Ok. After my song then » Taar admitted.

"Perfect" Faith answered.

Then she sidled into the crowd and disappeared from Tara's sight. The witch turned around towards Fred who had watched the exchange with amusement and stopped repressing her smile. Less than five minutes later, Faith reappeared and resumed her place next to Tara, a roguish smile stuck on her face.  
The reason of this smile was quickly explained to Tara, when just after Faith's return, Lorne appeared on stage and called her name so that she had to sing. Tara turned severe eyes on Faith, who sent her her most beautiful smile by way of answer. The witch got up and joined Lorne on stage. He handed her the microphone before coming to sit down beside Angel. The young woman's voice rose in the bar, under the attentive eyes and ears of her companions. As during their first visit together there, several weeks earlier, Faith wasn't able to remove her glance from her and didn't notice Lorne's seriousness, the demon staring also at the witch with a quite particular acuteness.

When Tara came down from stage - under the hearty applause of her friends - Faith got up and without leaving her time to sit down again, caught her by the waist and pulled her after her towards the dance floor. Angel's stare followed them before he got up to get closer to Lorne, who had slightly pushed aside his chair from the group. The demon had his arms crossed and seemed in deep thoughts.

« So? » Asked Angel. « Did you see anything interesting about her? »

Lorne turned to him, sighed and seemed to think about the question.

« I guess you could put it like that » He eventually said.

Angel frowned at this statement.

« What is it about? » The vampire asked again.

Lorne sighed again and his eyes went to the dance floor where Faith tried to get Tara to follow her swaying hips. Angel followed his glance and the electricity which united both girls was quite obvious to him more than ever. A fond smile passed on his face, while Lorne looked at both girls with the same tenderness.

« Faith likes her, uh? » Lorne said by turning again to the vampire.

Angel nodded his head thoughtfully and he returned his attention towards Lorne.

« She's changed. She is far better since Tara and her got friends »

« As night and day » confirmed Lorne who had never hidden his affection for the usually so surly dark-haired Slayer.

« Then? What did you see? » Angel got a little impatient. « Seeing your face, nothing really happy? »

« I'm not sure that I should talk to you about it » answered Lorne by looking again towards the dance floor.

Over there, Faith had pulled Tara against her and the blonde was laughing heartily at something the Slayer had murmured in her ear. Angel also observed both girls for a few seconds, before returning towards the demon.

"Lorne" He insisted. « Tell me »

Lorne sighed again and made a sign to Angel to approach. The vampire bent forward to listen to what Lorne had to say to him, while casting glances from time to time to the witch and the Slayer.

If these two weren't at all conscious to be so observed, there was somebody who had lost nothing of the exchange between the vampire and the demon. At the other end of the table, Cordelia had lost interest bit by bit in the animated conversation between Wesley, Fred and Gunn when she had seen Lorne and Angel isolating themselves from the group. The young woman didn't succeed in hearing exactly what was said between them but Lorne's insistent glance on Tara while she sang, then on Tara and Faith, hadn't been lost to her. And the subject of the conversation between Angel and Lorne was only too evident: Lorne had something to say apparently on Tara, even maybe on Tara AND Faith. Cordelia picked up her ear to try to understand what Lorne was explaining to Angel but quickly gave up hearing something, the hubbub in the bar being too loud. The vampire and the demon probably thought the same thing because they eventually got up and went away.

Cordelia tracked them with her eyes, until they disappeared from her sight. She turned then to the dance floor and looked at Faith and Tara, who apparently had a lot of fun and seemed to hugely appreciate the company of one another. Cordelia was literally stunned by the change who had taken place in Faith these last months. The arrogant, taciturn and unbearable young woman who had settled with the group some months before, had slowly been replaced by a young lady whom Cordelia wouldn't certainly qualify of spread, but it was unmistakable that she had changed. And even if Faith thought certainly that the walls which she had surrounded herself with, were still standing between her and the rest of the world - except for Tara - it wasn't completely true any more. Slowly, but certainly, her barriers were crashing down one after the other to let everybody suspect what was hidden behind her mask of arrogance and swaggering she displayed since so for a long time: a pleasant - sometimes-, funny - often-, defender and thoughtful - still discreetly- young woman.

« At this pace, I'm soon going to like her! » Thought Cordelia with a smile on her face, while a few meter's away, Faith pulled Tara away from a vampire, which tried to get too close to her for Faith's taste.

Angel's return interrupted the thread of her thoughts. The vampire went stale on his seat, sank into his chair and contemplated both girls on the dance floor. Cordelia observed him for a few moments, then got up and sat down determinedly next to him. Angel turned his head to her but said nothing.

« So? » Cordelia asked.

« What? » Angel said while frowning.

The former cheerleader raised her eyebrow.

« What did Lorne say to you ? » She asked frankly.

« We talked » answered Angel while looking away.

"OK" Cordelia said. « I got that part. What did you talk ABOUT? »

Angel shrugged and got ready to formulate an evasive answer but Cordelia stopped him.

« You were talking about Tara. Or about Tara then Faith. Or about Tara and Faith. »

Angel seemed to consider the young woman's words then crossed his arms in front of him.

« Lorne noticed how Faith had changed lately » he asserted.

« And? »

« And nothing particular » said Angel, but Cordelia could see that he slightly felt ill at ease.

« Angel, do I look stupid ? » Asked Cordelia in a severe tone. « Lorne saw something when Tara sang. What was it about? »

Then the young lady crossed her arms over her chest and gave the vampire a decided glance, challenging him to try to escape again.

« I don't think it's a good thing … »

« Angel, tell me » Cordelia interrupted him in an icy voice. « What happens? »

Angel looked alternately at Faith and at Tara who were still dancing, then at Cordelia whose steeled glance didn't leave him.

« Tara might have to leave » Angel said finally, after what appeared an eternity to the former cheerleader.

« Leaving? » Repeated Cordelia in echo.

"To Sunnydale" Answered Angel by turning again to the dance floor. « She might be needed over there. Things could go very badly if she doesn't return. Willow will need her. »

Cordelia remained silent one moment, digesting Angel's words. Then she also turned around and her glance settled in her turn on both girls, and more particularly on Faith who was smiling in a way Cordelia had never seen her smiling before these few months.

« Faith also needs her » she pointed out almost automatically.

« I know » answered Angel while following her glance. « I know. »

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed that part !  
Next chapter coming next week, I hope...  
_


	12. Cohabitation

_Thanks to Davide and Tinyanywhere for the reviews about previous chapter !_

_And again many thanks to Tammy for beta-reading this part !_

_We're getting closer to the end of this story..._

------------------------------------

**Chapter 11 : Cohabitation**

Faith was pacing nervously under Tara's amused stare while the witch was quietly sitting on a bench.

« What time is the bus coming? » Faith asked, while stopping in front of Tara.

Tara looked at her watch again.

« It should be here any minute. »

Faith nodded and resumed her pacing, a fold crossing on her forehead.

« Everything will be ok sweetie » asserted Tara.

Faith stopped again and looked at Tara in astonishment, a little distracted to hear the blonde calling her that so naturally. Tara considered her confusing look one second and realized.

« Oh, sorry, Faith » she apologized, blushing slightly.

Faith frowned, not understanding about what Tara was apologizing.

« What? »

« About what I said … »

Faith continued to frown, before her face lightened.

« Oh, no, no! No problem Tara … I was just … Surprised. »

The Slayer offered a hesitating smile to her friend and got closer to her, as if indicate that everything was ok. Tara nodded her head and returned her smile.

« I think the bus is arriving » she said while looking over Faith's shoulder.

The Slayer turned around and noticed that a new bus was turning into the parking lot. Quickly, she was able to read ' Sunnydale ' in front of the vehicle and sighed.

« That's the one »

She crossed her arms over her chest and walked over and stood beside Tara. Tara discreetly looked at Faith and noticed how nervous the dark-haired Slayer was.

« It will be ok Faith » she said, while putting her hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

Faith shrugged and both friends returned their attention to the bus which had just stopped in front of them. Doors opened and Tara scanned the crowd of passengers which came down from it, in search of a known face. Dawn appeared finally, wearing this annoyed grimace characteristic of the adolescent.

« Hey Dawn » Tara hailed her cheerfully.

The teenager turned her head at the call of her name and the grimace on her face transformed into a smile when she saw Tara. The witch moved towards her and both fell in each other's arms.

« Tara! I'm so happy to see you! » Dawn exclaimed, suddenly overexcited. « I missed you so much and … »

And Dawn's smile froze on her face when she saw Faith, who was shyly standing behind both young women.

« What the hell is she doing here? » She asked, in a tone with disdain while she was pointing at Faith with her chin.

Tara made a pretence of not understanding about whom she was talking and turned around.

« Ah, Faith » she said, smiling to the aforementioned woman. « She drove me. She's a friend »

Dawn looked alternately at Tara and Faith then again at Tara.

« A friend? » She asked, in an unbelieving tone.

"Yes" Tara confirmed simply, while inviting Faith to approach with her arm.

But the Slayer didn't move, seeming nailed on her spot by the young Summers' suspicious and cold glance.

«Do you have anymore luggage? » Asked Tara, deciding to drop this problem for the time being..

« Just a bag » answered Dawn. « I'm here only for the weekend » she grumbled then.

Three girls moved to get back the bag in question. When Faith held out her hand to take it from Dawn, Dawn caught it with force and turned abruptly to the dark-haired Slayer.

« I'll carry it myself »

« Hey! Keep cool kid! » Faith said in an annoyed tone. « Do what you want. »

Tara gave her an apologetic smile and quickly bent towards her ear.

« She just needs a little time » she murmured.

Faith shrugged. Then she went ahead to the car, while Dawn had put her arm across Tara's waist and was beginning to tell her the last events in Sunnydale.

--------------------------

Faith came into the kitchen and was surprised to find Angel and Cordelia there, in deep conversation. Both kept silent and turned to her at her entrance.

« Faith. » Angel said simply. « So? »

Faith shrugged and moved into the room. She opened a wall cupboard, took out a bag of chips before jumping on the counter.

"Not that good" she growled out.

« She wasn't very happy to see me either » pointed out Cordelia, in a nice tone.

« Yeah! » Retorted Faith with disgust. « She was SO warmer with you. »

« Maybe the fact I didn't try to kill all her friends, her sister and held her mother and her hostages has something to do with it. I'm sure that helps. » Noticed Cordelia

Faith just threw a small grimace to the former cheerleader and concentrated on her bag of chips.

« Where is she? » Angel asked finally.

« Deep in conversation with Tara » grumbled the Slayer, punctuating her sentence with a disdainful grin.

« Oh my God! » Cordelia exclaimed, a wide smile up to her ears. « Our threatening Slayer freaking out with jealousy! The kid is gonna steal her precious time with Tara from her! »

By way of an answer, Cordelia just received a bag of chips in full face, which contributed to increase her hilarity again. Faith thus decided to change the subject of conversation, irritated to be the object of the mockery of the young lady.

« What were you talking about before I come in? » She asked absently, opening a wall cupboard to take something else to nibble on.

Busy with rummaging among the bag of biscuits and other sweets, she didn't notice the glance exchanged between Angel and Cordelia.

« Nothing special » Said Angel, while Faith perched again on the counter, a bag of candies in her hand this time.

« C'mon, tell me » Faith said, smiling. « You were all secretive and everything, kinda stopped speaking when I came in. It was personal maybe? » She added with a small roguish smile.

« Not real… » began Cordelia.

« Personal, that's it » Angel interrupted her.

Faith's glance passed alternately from one to another with surprise.

« Ok, you don't wanna say anything to me » she grumbled.

Angel was going to open his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by the bell of the telephone.

« I'll get it » Said Cordelia, while going at a quick pace step to the lobby.

« Who would be calling at this time? » Interrogated Angel, by looking at his watch.

Faith shrugged in sign of ignorance.

« I guess there's no time schedule when it comes to saving the world. » she said.

Then she put a new handful of candies in her mouth and both friends remained silent until Cordelia reappeared in the kitchen some moments later.

« It was Lorne » she threw in a serious tone to Angel. « He wants you to go to Caritas to see him. »

« Why? »

« He just said that he hadn't told you everything the other night »

« Ah, okay » answered simply Angel while getting ready to go out.

« Something important? » Asked Faith. « Can I help? »

Angel's glance passed from Cordelia to Faith, then he shook his head.

« No, it's a simple conversation. »

« Do you want me to come? » Cordelia asked.

« Useless, it's a simple conversation » repeated Angel while going out.

-----------------------------

Faith lightly knocked at the door and entered when she heard Tara's sweet voice inviting her in. Dawn and Tara were sitting on the witch's bed. The young Summers turned around to see who had just come into the room and gave a grimace when she recognized Faith. Tara, on the contrary, welcomed her with a big smile.

« Hey Faith »

The Slayer moved into the room and remained standing, Dawn's intrusion making her suddenly incapable to find her place. Tara made her a sign with her hand and tapped the bed beside her.

"Come"

Faith approached and settled down next to Tara as she had been invited to. On the other side of the witch, Dawn crossed her arms and threw a glance clearly annoyed at the Slayer.

« So? » Asked Tara softly. « How was patrol? »

« Nothing special » Answered Faith, while crossing her legs on the bed. « As usual »

« You mean that you killed a guy or two this evening? »

Faith and Tara both turned as abruptly as the other to Dawn who was looking at the Slayer, her face closed and an imperceptible grin on her lips.

« Dawn! » Tara exclaimed putting on her severe eyes.

« I meant : a vampire or two? » Corrected Dawn, pressing excessively on the word vampire.

Faith fixed the young Summers silently, her jaw firmly locked and her eyes dark. Tara turned to her and put a soothing hand on one of Faith's knee before turning again to the teenager. Dawn wrinkled her eyes when she saw the affectionate gesture from the witch.

"Dawn" began Tara slowly but firmly.

« You don't know her » Dawn interrupted her harshly. « You don't know all she did to us. Everything she did to Buffy »  
« Dawn, she's changed » asserted Tara. « Faith is my friend »

Saying this, Tara squeezed Faith's knee under her hand. Dawn shrugged and got up rashly.

« That's also what she made us believe before trying to kill everybody. I'm going to go to bed. »

« Dawn! »

But the teenager didn't turn around to Tara's call and went out of the room without adding a word. Tara turned eyes full of excuses to Faith

« I am… I am sorry Faith. I didn't think it would be so hard … »

Faith shrugged and had a bitter and disenchanted smile.

« I did. »

Both girls looked at each other for a moment silently and Faith tried to smile to relieve the blonde's uneasiness.

« It's nothing, Tara. I will be okay. »

Then she got up and held out her hand to Tara to invite her to do so.

« You should go to see her » added the Slayer. « She isn't here for a long time »

Tara seized the tense hand and got up. She squeezed slightly the Slayer's hand in hers before going to the door with her.

« Thank you. » She said simply. « It will be better tomorrow. She just has to get used to you. She's kinda stubborn but … »

" A real Summers " Joked Faith.

« Doubtless the worst » confirmed Tara while smiling. « What are you going to do? »

Faith grimaced and seemed to think about it a moment.

« Irritate Cordelia probably. And then wait for Angel who visited Lorne »

Tara nodded and put her hand on the handle.

« Be careful if you go back on patrol. » She said while going out, closely followed by Faith. «Maybe see you later »

The Slayer nodded her head and went to the stair while Tara took the corridor towards Dawn's room.

---------------------------

The teenager was sitting on her bed and was reading a book. When Tara entered after having knocked, she raised her head towards her and presented her with a light smile. Tara determinedly approached the bed and sat down beside Dawn who put her book on the night table. Both friends remained silent until Dawn let escape a long irritated sigh.

"Okay" The young Summers let out. « I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you upset. »

« I didn't come to ask you to apologize » Answered Tara, smiling.

"Ah" Dawn said simply.

« But we can talk about it » went on Tara in her trademark sweet voice.

« Talk about it? » Asked Dawn, unbelievingly.

« How about you telling me what's annoying you so much? »

« Tara! » Dawn exclaimed with surliness. « It's about Faith! Faith the murderer, Faith the psychotic, Faith the bitch in leather! »

« Dawn! » Tara reprimanded.

The witch had a characteristic frown which Dawn knew well and the young Summers wasn't able to refrain from smiling by seeing Tara's expression. But Tara didn't want to laugh and Dawn erased her smile.

"Sorry" She said pathetically, seeing that the severity on the witch's face wasn't weakening. « It's just…I don't like her »

Tara smiled slightly at this last assertion.

« I got that part I think »

« I don't trust her » resumed Dawn firmly. « She's crazy »

« She changed, Dawn. Really » insisted Tara.

« How would you know? » Answered Dawn. « You didn't know her before. »

« If she hasn't changed, then you all judged her way too severely » answered the witch with a light smile.

Dawn crossed her arms and leaned against the wall behind her with a sulky look on her face.

« Give her a chance, Dawnie. I promise you that she's worth it. »

Dawn didn't loose her sulky look while Tara looked at her simply, waiting for some answer from her part.

« I'll try » she said finally, without abandoning her characteristic pout.

Tara smiled to her again and nodded her head.

« Thank you sweetie » she said simply.

Dawn relaxed when she saw the smile on Tara's face and pulled the witch so that she settled down more frankly.

« So… Are you ok here? » She asked after a silence.

Tara's smile got bigger and she said yes with her head fiercely. Dawn grimaced slightly and asked in a hesitating voice:

« You aren't going to come back home then? »

Tara's smile fainted from her face when she saw the evident sadness on the face of the teenager.

« Dawn, I … I don't know. Well, not right now … »

« Willow is doing better, you know » Added the young Summers with conviction. « And I'm being completely honest. I know that I sometimes exaggerated on that matter, but this time, it's true, I promise, she's really better. »

« I don't doubt it Dawn … It's good … Really good »

Tara lowered her eyes on her two hands joined in front of her and tried to hide the tears which rose abruptly to her eyes at the evocation of the redhead.

« You… you are going to come to the wedding anyway? » Asked Dawn with hesitance. « Well, I think you don't have much of a choice, Anya told me to say to you that she would come to look for you herself and that it wasn't even a question that your orgasmic or not-orgasmic – I'm quoting her here – stories spoil the most beautiful day of her life! »

The thought of the former vengeance demon made Tara smile. She raised her head towards the teenager and offered her an amused smile.

« Of course, I'll come. »

Dawn's face lightened again and she clapped her hands enthusiastically.

« Great! » She exclaimed. « That way, you can see by yourself that Willow is doing better. And then you two can speak! Again! »

"Dawn" intervened Tara. « I am not … »

She kept silent without finishing her sentence when she saw the enjoyment disappearing from the teenager's face in front of her.

"Tara" asked Dawn in a hesitating voice. « You could give her a chance? She's worth it … »

---------------------------

When Angel came back from Caritas, in the middle of the night, he was surprised to find Faith sitting at the table in the kitchen.

"Faith" He said while he opened the refrigerator to take a packet of blood out. « You're not sleeping? »

« Obviously not » answered the Slayer, a hint of irony in her voice.

"Obviously" approved Angel while sitting down beside her. « You aren't with Tara? »

« Obviously not » repeated the Slayer in the same tone as previously.

« Not better with Dawn? » Interrogated the vampire.

« Not really»

Angel nodded his head thoughtfully and returned to his mug of blood while Faith swallowed a mouthful of her coffee.

« So, what did Lorne want? »

« Nothing precise. He just wanted to see me »

Faith frowned.

« Just seeing you? »

"Yeah"

« My God, Angel, I'd think that guy is hitting on you! » Faith exclaimed suddenly, laughing.

Angel turned his head in astonishment, not expecting something like that at all.

« Faith! »

« Ok, I know he's not your type » resumed Faith in the same roguish tone. « But well, a guy who calls you so late to come 'just' to see him … »

« Where are you with Tara? » Angel asked, abruptly.

The Slayer switched back immediately in full 'defense' mode.

« What? »

« You two made up » pointed out the vampire.

« We never fought » countered Faith.

"OK" admitted Angel. « You just stopped acting like the queen of idiots »

Faith presented him with an understanding grimace but nodded her head.

« We can say that. »

« And? »

« And what? »

« How are things? »

« Actually, pretty good » Faith said.

They kept silent and Angel remained looking at Faith.

« You aren't very talkative » He pointed out after a moment.

"No" Said Faith while smiling.

« You look good since she's been here. » Asserted the vampire.

Faith turned her head to him with quite a surprise, but wasn't able to erase the smile on her face.

« She's special » she admitted finally in a breath.

« Special? »

« Yeah. You know, I think nobody has ever really liked me before her. »

Angel frowned.

« Faith … You know, I think you are a little bit hard with the scoobies and Buffy, I think that they kinda lik … »

« It's different. Tara loves me for ME. Just for me. B would never have given a damn about me if it weren't for the Slayer gig. I was a Slayer and she saw only the Slayer in me. And later, I wasn't more than a psychotic murderer. Tara sees the other stuff too. »

Angel looked at Faith and smiled when he saw the almost shy smile the Slayer was wearing.

« I'm happy you finally realized that there were other things to you » he concluded before tapping her shoulder and going out of the kitchen.

-----------------------------

When the vampire had crossed the lobby and gone up the stairs, he had the surprise to see Cordelia going out from the shadow at the first floor.

"Cordelia" said simply Angel while recognizing her. « You aren't in bed yet? »

« I was waiting for your return »

« Certainly, everybody is waiting for me this evening »

« I wanted to know what Lorne wanted » indicated Cordelia directly. « And don't tell me stories like you did to Faith. Lorne doesn't want to see only you just to talk about the country. »

« You heard our conversation? »

« Yes. So, Lorne? »

Angel crossed his arms and stared at Cordelia, gauging her determination. She didn't seem to weaken. Angel moved in the corridor and made a sign to follow him.

« Let's not stay here »

Cordelia followed him close and they went up to the library to which Angel closed the door behind them. Cordelia stood in front of him and challenged him with her glance. Angel wasn't able to repress an amused smile in front of the stubbornness of the young lady.

« Lorne saw things about Sunnydale. »  
« Don't waste your time. I want precise things »

Angel grimaced then sighed with tiredness, seeing the immovable resolution on Cordelia's face.

« Please sit down »

-----------------------------

When Dawn went in the kitchen for the breakfast the following morning, she found Faith and Tara there. The witch was near the stove and the Slayer was using her skills to lower a plate full of pancakes.

« Round or funny shape? » Asked Tara when she saw Dawn entering the kitchen.

"Round" said Dawn with a smile.

" Funny shape " answered Faith who hadn't seen the teenager entering the room.

Both girls stared one second at each other then Dawn moved to Tara to whom she slammed a kiss on the cheek before settling down silently in front of Faith.

« Round then » said Tara while smiling. « You already had funny shapes » she added to Faith.

"Yeah" said Faith while casting a glance to Dawn who was staring at her with curiosity.

Quickly, Tara came to sit down beside her and put down a full plate of new pancakes between the three girls.

« So, Dawn, what you do want to do today? » Interrogated Tara.

« What did you foresee? » Answered Dawn, with a big smile. « I don't mind anyway, as long as I'm with you » she quickly added.

Tara smiled to the young Summers' enthusiasm.

« We thought of spending the day in the city. At noon, we'll go to the restaurant and this evening, cards between girls while Faith and the boys will be patrolling. What do you think of that? »

Dawn nodded between two mouthful of pancakes.

« I'm in Tara »

« Perfect. » Approved Tara. « Faith, can you drive? »

The Slayer nodded and opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Dawn.

« She is going to come with us? » The teenager exclaimed, turning to Tara.

Tara made a pretence of not noticing the tone openly annoyed used by the girl and contented with nodding her head with an innocent smile.

« Of course. » She answered simply. « We leave as soon as you are ready? »

Dawn's glance passed alternately from Tara, who was looking at her just like everything was normal, to Faith who was staring stubbornly at her cup of coffee and her pancakes.

"Okay" she gave in finally, in a tired tone while bitting into a doughnut.

--------------------------

Dawn didn't have to complain about her choice. The teenager asked to be taken everywhere where she remembered having lived in Los Angeles with her parents, and she was fulfilled. Faith drove where she was asked and Dawn was all too happy to tell Tara recollections and anecdotes relating to her former school or to her former house. And when the melancholy got the upper hand, she simply put her head on Tara's shoulder, until a more cheerful recollection surfaced and pulled her again into an extensive babbling to the witch's biggest amusement.

When noon rang, Faith led both young ladies in a small restaurant where she had already taken Tara before. The Slayer remained silent during all the meal, as she had been during the morning, leaving Dawn the pleasure to speak again and again to the blonde. From time to time, the teenager glanced at her obliquely, not really engaging and rather clearly annoyed. But she said nothing and most of the time, didn't pay attention to her. Faith called that progress and contented herself with it.

The three girls spent the afternoon in museums. Faith went from dismay to boredom, from boredom to indifference, from indifference to curiosity before returning to boredom just after having touched interest.

A remark from Dawn, indicating that if it had been said to her one day that she would go to a museum in Los Angeles with Faith before going there with her own sister, she would never have believed it, extracted a smile from the Slayer.

Several hours and two museums later, they were back at the Hyperion. Faith let herself fall heavily on the sofa into the lobby, which drew Cordelia's attention at the counter, while Dawn was already flooding Angel and Wesley with the story of the afternoon.

« You look exhausted. » Commented Cordelia.

« Spend the day with them and you will understand » muttered Faith.

« Poor little Slayer! You can kill vampires every night but you're tired after a visit at a museum » Cordelia exclaimed with a derisive enjoyment. « But wait, I get it. Isn't it because these two activities require in no way the same skills? Yes, that's right, to you Slayers, it is anything to do with muscles! »

Faith threw her a dark glance but refrained from answering, and Cordelia gave her her trademark smile which the Slayer never failed to receive when the former cheerleader left her without her voice.

« And now, will you be able to survive a cards evening, Faithie? » Interrogated Cordelia, in a derisive tone while passing beside her and tapping her shoulder.

Faith raised her eyes to the sky and just let herself lie on the sofa.

After this - not so - hard day, Faith left Tara and Dawn with Fred and Cordelia for an evening between girls. She occupied hers with a patrol longer than usual with Angel, Wesley and Gunn.

When she returned, the girls weren't in the library any more where she had left them. But when she passed in front of Tara's room, Faith was able to guess that the witch and the teenager weren't asleep yet and were still deep in conversation. She stayed for a moment in front of the door, hesitating to disturb them, to take the place which appeared to her so naturally being hers now. The name of Willow reached her then and Faith released the handle that she held in her hand and took the direction of her own room.

--------------------------------

The next day began by the Slayer sleeping in. When she arrived in the kitchen, Faith wasn't able to repress a gesture of surprise mixed with disappointment by seeing Tara conversing with Angel and Cordelia. All kept silent and turned to her at her entrance.

« Hey, Faith » Tara said simply, while presenting her with her trademark smile.

"Hey" answered the Slayer, moving up to the counter where she perched on a stool next to the witch.

« Good night? » Tara asked friendly and serving, instinctively, some coffee in a cup for the Slayer.

« Good. You up for a long time? »

Tara shook her head.

« Not really. »

There was a brief silence which Angel interrupted.

« Then what's your plans for today? »

« Seeing what time it is » Tara answered while glancing at the wall clock in front of her, « I think that we are going to hang out here until lunch. And then we'll go for a walk maybe until it's time to leave for the bus station. And you? »

« Job even on Sundays » answered Angel with a smile.  
« Job? » Interrogated Faith, curving an eyebrow.

« Nothing requiring your presence » quickly answered Angel. « You can spend the day with Tara»

« I can leave them alone » proposed Faith. « If there's some job to do, I'm in »

"No" Angel cut her firmly. « We won't need you. Spend the day with Tara and Dawn »

Faith crossed her arms with a bored look on her face to the tone without retort on which Angel had addressed her, but answered nothing.

« So, we're going to go » said Angel by getting up and stopping swallowing the bottom of its mug. « Have a good day girls »

Both friends presented him and Cordelia with warm greetings, and remained alone.

« They're acting weird this morning, aren't they? » Commented on Faith.

Tara shrugged in sign of ignorance.  
« You didn't come to wake me » Resumed the Slayer with hesitance after a silence.

Tara didn't turn to her when she answered "no". Faith considered her for a few seconds, wondering where the embarrassment which seemed to have settled down between them came from.

« So, what were you speaking about ? » Began the Slayer.

« Faith, I have to tell … » Began Tara at the same time.

They kept silent and looked at each other, waiting that the other one started again. But none had the possibility because Dawn came into the kitchen at this precise moment.  
The teenager quickly closed the distance which separated her from Tara, kiss her on the cheek and perched on a stool next to her after having muttered a vague « Morning » to Faith, hardly looking at her. Faith answered in the same tone and put her nose to her coffee while Dawn grabbed a bowl of milk and cereal.

« Slept well sweetie? » Interrogated Tara.

Dawn rested the package of cereals which she had just flooded her bowl with and smiled with all her teeth to the witch.

« Very well, thank you. It was a great night, last night! »

The young Summers punctuated her sentence by turning to Faith and by shooting her an understanding smile.

« And you Faith, how was patrol? »

« Excellent. » Said Faith in the same tone.

« Don't eat too much of that, Dawnie » Tara said friendly, while pointing to her bowl. « Lunch isn't far »

The teenager nodded her head while swallowing a new spoonful of her cereal in her mouth.

« Promise »

Tara looked at her with a skeptical grimace and smiled to her indulgently.

« Still ok for a walk in the afternoon? »

« Hem, I don't know » answered the girl. « I feel lazy today, we'll see? »

Tara nodded her head and got up.

« As you want sweetie. »

She went to the refrigerator, opened it and detailed the contents.

« You going to get ready? We're getting lunch within a little more than one hour. »

Dawn jumped up at the foot of her stool and put down her bowl now empty in the kitchen sink.

« All right. »

She was about to get out of the room but considered Faith who hadn't moved from her place.

« But I could help you first. »

« Faith'll help me sweetie » answered automatically Tara while continuing to search the refrigerator.

« I like to cook with you » protested Dawn. « And I leave tonight »

Faith's glance passed alternately from Tara who was looking at her with hesitance, to Dawn who was casting her oblique glances. Finally she got up in her turn.

« Stay here, kid. I'm going to go to the training room anyway. »

And joining her gesture to her word, the Slayer put down her bowl with Dawn's and exited the room.

---------------------------------------

_I__'m leaving for vacation at the end of the week for two weeks, and I'm not sure I'll have a computer where I'm going. _

_So the following chapters might be delayed. We'll see !_


	13. Leaving LA, leaving Faith

_Thanks to Buffy-CrazyaboutAngel for her review on previous chapter !_

_And thanks to Tammy for beta-reading this chapter !_

--------------------------------------

**Chapter 12 : Leaving LA, leaving Faith**

« This meal was great Tara »

Dawn was sprawled on her back on the sofa in the lobby, her hand on her stomach and very satisfied.

« You're still the queen of cooking » continued Dawn, eyes to the ceiling, while tapping her stomach.

« I did nothing special, you know » Tara said modestly from the other side of the sofa.

« It was brilliant. And then it changes »

« How's that? You eat badly lately? » Asked Tara, frowning.

« Oh, you know » answered the teenager while making an evasive gesture with her hand. « It's mostly pizzas and Chinese lately. And the rest of the time, Willow is far from being as bright as you are in the cooking department! »

Tara smiled frivolously and leaned against the back of the sofa.

« Willow cooks then? » She asked in a lower voice.

« Yes. » Said Dawn, sitting up slightly. « She makes many efforts you know. »

« I know » answered simply Tara.

They looked one second at each other, then Dawn dropped again on the sofa. A silence settled and finally, Tara turned to Dawn and put her hand on her shoulder.

« So sweetie, do you want to go for a walk? »

Dawn sat up again and leaned this time on an elbow, before turning to Tara.

« I don't know Tara » she answered lazily. « We could both stay quietly here, couldn't we? »

« As you want sweetie » Tara said. « We can stay here and do nothing if that's what you want. »

The training room door's opened then and closed with crash, making both girls turn around towards the bottom of room.

« Drop it Charles, I am going to crush you » Faith was saying while moving in the lobby.

« Don't dream girl, Slayer or not, I am a God at this »

They arrived at the sofa where Dawn and Tara were lazily settled and both young women were able to see that Gunn held a basketball ball in his hand.

« You're gonna play basketball? » Dawn interrogated with a clearly skeptical look.

« Yes, kid » answered Gunn with a big smile. « The Slayer here claims to give me a thumping. »

« She was always kinda snooty » noticed Dawn while sitting down. « And then, she's a Slayer. Always thinking that makes her invincible in all things sporty »

« Which is true » Ruled Faith, with certainty.

Dawn sniffed contemptuously and stared at Faith from head to toes.

« I would like to see that. I'm sure you don't even know the rules »

Faith shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest.

« Rules? » She interrogated with a derisive smile. « A ball, a basket, that's enough. And then, what do you know about that kind of stuff, you, miss super-nerd? Wes looks sportive compare to you »

Dawn looked at her with a completely offended look on her face and got up.

« You claim that I can't play basketball? »

« Look at you » Faith said while pointing to her. « I assure you that Wes looks sportive next to you»

« Me, not sportive-gal? » Protested Dawn. « I remind you that I am a mystic key and 'the' Slayer's sister. We're going to see if I am not a sportive gal »

And saying this, she seized the ball Gunn was holding in his hands and went to the door.

« I team up with Gunn »

"Dawn" began Tara, half- amused, half-worried. « I'm not sure that's a good … »

« And so that you don't say after the game that you lost because you were alone against the two of us, Tara will play with you »

Faith and Tara exchanged the same appalled glance at this last assertion.

« You want Tara to play? » Interrogated Faith.

« You want ME to play? » Repeated the witch in echo.

"Exactly" confirmed Dawn with a big satisfied smile.

« Dawn, I don't think that » began Tara.

« C'mon Tara! » the young Summers interrupted her. « I leave tonight! I'm the queen of the day! »

Tara grimaced and her glance went alternately from Dawn's smile to the ball in her hands.

"All right" she admitted finally.  
Then Dawn caught Gunn by the arm and pulled him behind her.

« So, show me where is this basketball court. »

-------------------------------

Fred headed toward the kitchen to get some tea. Arriving just outside the door, she was able to hear a familiar hubbub reaching her. The young lady put her head by the doorframe and saw Gunn, perched on a stool, a proud and satisfied look on his face. Beside him, Dawn at least as proud and enthusiastic, was gesturing and trying to have the last word against Faith, who was sitting in front of her.

« We won, whatever you can say about it » said Dawn with conviction.

« I have basketball under my skin » Added Gunn.

« I was disadvantaged » protested Faith. « Tara is unable to receive a pass »

« Hey! » Protested Tara, turning from the stoves where she was fussing.

« Hey Fred » She added brightly when she saw the young lady at the doorstep.

Fred moved into the room and stood beside Tara.

« What are you doing? » She asked her.

« Making some pancakes for our big sportsmen and women » The witch answered with a smile. « And some tea for me. Do you want some? »

Fred nodded her head and came to sit down on the other side of Gunn while Tara finished filling a plate of pancakes, then two cups of tea. She put it on the counter and sat down beside Faith.

« So? » Fred asked, after having enjoyed a mouthful of her tea. « What did you do? You look all excited to me. »

« We played basketball! » Dawn exclaimed immediately. « I played with Charles and we crushed Faith! »

« Crushed? » Asked Faith with surprise. « You HARDLY won. And … And you were favored. »

Dawn burst out laughing and cast a collusive glance to Gunn under Tara and Fred's amused glance.

« I knew you would be a bad loser » She asserted with force before swallowing a piece of pancake covered with syrup in her mouth.

« You're really her sister, no doubt » Faith grumbled. « And I won the second game »

« Because you wanted to switch teams and be with ME » resumed Dawn.

« You play basketball Dawn? » Interrogated Fred.

« The kid's not that bad » explained Gunn. « Faith was crazy with fury »

« That's not true. » Protested the Slayer.

« That's true sweetie » Tara contradicted her.

Faith sent her a grin and took another pancake in the pile by way of consolation. Dawn looked at her some seconds, then turned to Tara.  
« I think that it's soon going to be time for me to go and catch the bus. » She said in a disappointed tone. « I'm going to have to go. »

Tara nodded her head sadly.

« Yes, you should go and get your stuff. Faith, are you ready to drive us? » She added while turning to her.The Slayer was going to open her mouth to answer but was cut by Dawn.

« No, not Faith. Only you and me, Tara » asked the teenager, looking at the witch with pleading eyes.

Faith cast her a perplexed glance and Tara hesitated.

« Dawn, I don't have a driver license. » She explained.

« Charles could drive us? » Asked Dawn, turning to him. « And you two can be apart from each other half an hour, can't you? »

Tara hesitated again, embarrassed by Dawn's behavior in front of Faith and her glance went to her.

« Go Tara » Faith said simply, seeing that the witch was looking at her and seemed to wait for her approval. « No problem. »

« Charles? » Tara asked, while turning to the young man.

« I can drive you, no problem »

----------------------------

Having hugged everybody in the hotel (except Faith) and promised to Angel to greet Buffy for him, Dawn left for Sunnydale, apparently very happy with her weekend. Gunn took her and Tara to the bus station and waited in the car while Tara led Dawn up to the bus due to leave for Sunnydale. They hugged again warmly and Dawn insisted heavily on the upcoming wedding of Xander and Anya before deciding to rise in the bus. Tara watched her going away with a certain melancholy before joining Gunn and returning to the Hyperion.

Hardly arrived, she put herself in search of Faith whom she found outside smoking a cigarette.

« You shouldn't do this, you know » she said from behind her.

« What? » Faith asked automatically, without turning around.

Tara sat beside her and pointed to the cigarette.

"This" she said. « It isn't good for you »

Faith smiled at her with amusement but nevertheless took another drag. Tara sent her an annoyed glance and continued to look at her silently. Faith looked away then turned again to notice that she hadn't moved a millimeter. She sighed and raised her eyes to the sky.

« That's SO unfair» She protested, while crushing her cigarette on the ground.

Tara smiled brightly, seeing her doing so and Faith could only return her smile.

« So, the kid left? » Faith asked.

Tara nodded her head.

« You see, things were not that bad »

Faith pouted, apparently not really convinced.

« Yeah »She said simply.

« You almost tamed her with the basketball game this afternoon » Tara insisted.

« Almost » Faith grumbled. « She still didn't want me to come with you this evening. »

« I think that she found it too much with you there. » Tara explained. « She is used to having me to herself only, you know. »

« Or to have you with Willow » retorted Faith.

« Yeah. Maybe » Tara admitted. « But things went good anyway. And I'm sure they will get better and better » she added with force.

Faith shrugged and both girls remained silent for a moment. Finally, Tara turned again to the Slayer and stared at her with acuteness before murmuring.

« Faith, I have to tell you something … »

Faith raised her head towards her, at once in full alert mode at the blonde's tone.

" Next weekend " resumed Tara. « Xander and Anya are going to get married. »

« I know » Faith said. « And you'll go there. And I won't come with you »

Tara grinned to her.

« I know, we have already talked about this and I gave up convincing you for this. »

She kept silent for a second, lowered her eyes, seemed to hesitate and then looked at Faith again.

« Anyway, that wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about. »

« What's up then? » Faith asked, frowning.

« I may » began Tara. « No, in fact, it's not I may, it's I will…»

She kept silent again, searched her words again.

« I probably won't come back. I am going to stay over there. For some time, at least » she added finally.

Faith uncrossed her arms and stood up from the wall against which she was rested. She wanted to say something but the words died in the back of her throat.  
« I know it's kind of sudden » Tara said in an apologetic tone.

« Sudden? » Faith exclaimed, finding her voice more abruptly than she would have wished it.

The end of the word choked and died in a sigh and Faith fixed her eyes to Tara's stressed out face. The witch had rolled up her arms around her and indeed looked at the Slayer with big blue eyes brilliant with anxiety. Faith sighed and opened her arms in front of her in an apologic sign.

"Sorry" She said, looking away from her. « It's just that… I'm surprised. You said nothing like that before … »

« I know Faith. It's new. »

Tara kept silent and looked for Faith's glance, which still avoided her stubbornly.

« I talked with Dawn » she resumed. « She says that Willow is doing really better, that … I think that I just want to see it by myself. Do you understand? »

Faith nodded seriously.

"Yes" She broke in a bitter tone. « You want to give her a chance »

« I … I am not there, Faith. I don't think about that right now. I just want to see how things are. »

They kept silent again, each of them looking everywhere except at the other one. Finally, Faith raised her head towards Tara who was staring at her feet.

« Do you still love her? » She asked more curtly than she had intended.

"Yes" Tara answered simply without hesitation. « And I don't know if we can get back together or not, as we were, but … Whatever way it will be, I believe that I have to try to give her a chance … Everyone deserves a chance. I understood that. And it's thanks to you. »

Tara smiled shyly at Faith and that smile was enough to convince the Slayer to hide the emotion this piece of news had put her into.

« Ok. That's cool » she said simply, looking away again. « It's cool. And then… it's not as if I expected you to stay here forever. »

"Faith" Tara began slowly while approaching her.

« No, no, I promise, I am cool, very cool » Faith interrupted her while raising her head towards her.

« Faith, you could come to visit me in Sunnydale this summer »

« What? »

Faith looked now at Tara as if she was crazy.

« Yes, you could come over there. Things will get better with the gang, you'll see »

Faith shrugged with carelessness.

« Coming back to Sunnydale? You saw how the kid reacted? I just don't want to imagine how Red or B will »

« Buffy will get better. I'm sure that this summer, things will be good enough so that she can handle seeing you again. And Willow… She will see that you changed »

Faith uttered a skeptical sniffing and shrugged again.

« And I'll be there » Tara added shyly.

« I can't leave Los Angeles anyway » Faith argued. « With Morris and everything …»

« I've already talked with Angel about this » Tara answered. « He thinks that there will be no problem. He and Morris will find a solution. And then you won't be leaving the State. »

But Faith still didn't seem convinced and was still wearing the same stubborn look on her face.

« Anyway, I'll come to look for you myself and take you there by force if needed » the witch concluded with a hesitating smile.

Faith started smiling and sent her a derisive smile.

« You'd do that? » She interrogated in a lighter tone than previously.

Tara nodded her head and smiled widely.

« I'd like to see that » Faith concluded.

---------------------------

« Hey, Faith, are you ok? »

The Slayer looked away from the whistling kettle and turned to the kitchen's door where Angel was now standing.

« What are you doing? » The vampire asked, looking at her with curiosity.

« Some tea. » She answered. Before clarifying: « For Tara »  
Angel nodded in sign of approval.

« Good, good. » He said. « Happy to have her with only you again? » He added with an amused grimace.

Faith shrugged and answered nothing at first.

« She's going to go back to Sunnydale. » She said finally. « She is going to stay over there»

"Ah" Angel said, by leaning against the counter behind him. « She told you »

« Yeah. You knew? »  
"Yes" Angel answered. « She talked about it this morning during breakfast. And … »

He kept silent and looked away from Faith who was looking at him with curiosity.

« And? »

« Lorne had seen it »

"Ah" Faith said simply, staring at Angel with acuteness. « So, if Lorne saw it, I guess it's useless that I ask you to do something to make her stay? »

Angel looked at her with surprise and frowned.

« What? »

« You could say to her that we need her here or… I don't know, make up something… »

Angel crossed his arms over his chest and the surprise on his face transformed into amusement. But seriousness came back immediately.

« I think that Tara must do what she thinks she must do»

Faith shrugged.

« I didn't really count on you actually. Well, maybe just a little. You're sure you can't…? »

« Faith. » Angel said seriously.

« Ok, ok » Faith surrendered.

The kettle began whistling at this moment and Faith turned around towards it. She seized the kettle and poured the warm water into a big cup in which she had put down a tea bag beforehand.

« And what else was in Lorne's vision? » She asked.

Angel hesitated for a second, opened his mouth to say something and closed it.

« That she had to leave for Sunnydale. » He broke finally.

« Had to? » Faith interrogated as she was putting down the cup and a package of biscuit on a tray.

« That she would leave for Sunnydale » corrected Angel.

« Make her stay Angel » Faith asked, in an almost begging tone Angel had never heard her use before.

He looked away and sighed before turning again to her.

« I can't Faith. I shouldn't. And none of us should. Things have to happen the way they have to happen. »

Faith didn't answer. She stared intensely at Angel during what seemed an eternity to him but probably didn't last more than a few seconds. Then she turned away, seized the tray and went out of the kitchen.

-----------------------------------

The next few days took place without remarkable changes. Tara and Faith spent days and nights together as they were used to and nothing seemed to indicate that the witch would leave the Hyperion on the next Friday evening. Both friends acted as naturally as possible, each seeming to ignore Tara's next departure.

Other inhabitants of the hotel had noticed the behavior on those of both girls after Tara had announced she was going to leave. The witch had done it after the dinner, which had followed Dawn's return to Sunnydale and having announced it to Faith. Neither Angel, nor Wesley, nor Cordelia, all already informed, were surprised and tried to seem detached quite as Faith who showed a mask of perfect indifference. Gunn wasn't able to hide his disappointment and Fred had to hold back some tears.

But if any of them, and Faith in particular, tried to act as usual, there was however a thing that all had noticed. Despite all her efforts to hide her disappointment and to seem as detached as possible, Faith's mood deteriorated from day to day to the great displeasure of Cordelia who exchanged some verbal fights with a Slayer little inclined to laugh.

And when Friday was finally there, the internal effervescence of the Slayer seemed ready to make her blow up.

While Tara was calmly packing her bag, Faith was pacing the room nervously, trying unsuccessfully to calm her nerves.

"Faith" Tara eventually said, sighing in front of her friend's agitation. « It's not as if we'll never see each other again »

Faith stopped pacing and looked at Tara with light surprise.

" This summer " Tara resumed, smiling to her. « You will come to see me in Sunnydale. »

Faith grumbled something, which could have been « yes that's right » but Tara wasn't really sure.

« And in the meantime, I'll write and call you. You won't get rid of me, I promise. »

Faith smiled slightly and shrugged.

« You'll have other things to think about when you'll be over there » she said in a disenchanted tone.

« Faith! » Tara exclaimed.

The witch was undoubtly hurt by the lack of trust the Slayer granted her.

« Of course, I'll call you and of course, I'll write you! » She started again on an serious tone. « Don't you trust me? »

Faith hesitated and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked away and eventually released quite low:

« Of course I do »

Tara smiled brightly at the Slayer's admittance and abandoned her bag to get closer to her.

« I'll miss you, you know » she murmured.

Faith looked at Tara at these words. She wanted to say 'then stay ' but was unable to pronounce a sound.

« You know? » Tara repeated. « Best friends, remember? »

Faith nodded her head slowly and Tara pulled her cautiously to her and hugged her. She had the surprise to notice that not only that the Slayer let her do so, but that she returned the embrace. They stayed that way for long moments, taking pleasure in the closeness of the other one. Tara eventually got free and moved back a step to look at Faith, who tried vainly to smile.

« You'll come to Sunnydale this summer » she repeated again. « And I'll write you until then. So that you don't forget. I promise »

None of them had noticed Cordelia who was watching them through the half-opened door.

-----------------------------------

« Okay. I can't look at this and do nothing »

Angel raised his head from the book he was studying. Cordelia was standing in front of him, arms crossed, an serious and resolute look on her face.

« Cordelia? »

« You can't let Tara leave just like that. You have to make her stay. Or tell her. Or tell Faith to make her stay. But DO something »

Angel pushed the book in front of him away and sighed.

« We already had this conversation. We agreed »

« Well, I changed my mind. I won't let her leave without doing something. If you do nothing, I'll do it »

« You can't » Angel answered curtly. « She HAS TO leave »

« Angel, I don't agree. » Cordelia protested « I am going to talk to her. »

« No » ordered Angel, while getting up. « Do you think I'm happy with what's happening? » He resumed, more firmly than previously. « Don't you think I would prefer that she comes back after the wedding? That Faith doesn't have to go through this? I want nothing of what's happening or what will happen. But Lorne was very clear. Tara's fate is bound to Willow's. And Willow's to Sunnydale's. »

Angel kept silent and Cordelia answered nothing. Both stared at each other in the most complete silence. Finally, the young woman let escape a profound sigh and let her arms fall heavily along her body.

« Very well » she admitted. « I'll do nothing. »

Then the young woman dropped on a chair in front of the vampire.

« Did you talk with Faith? How is she taking it? »

« She says everything is ok. You know Faith »

"Yeah" Cordelia grumbled. « Miss I - am - super-strong will never admit that she doesn't want Tara leaving »

"Yes" Angel simply answered. « But she has it rough »

"Yes" Cordelia said, eyes fixed to him.

Angel looked at her a second, before diving back into his book. The former cheerleader didn't move and the vampire could feel her glance of steel put on him.

« And stop looking at me like that » he threw to finally. « It'll change nothing »

Angel delicately pushed the closed door and entered the room. Faith was fussing in her wall cupboard and turned around when she heard him.

« What do you want? » She grumbled inarticulately.

« Where's Tara? » Asked Angel without answering.

« With Fred. »  
« You're not staying with her? »

« No. Actually, I was getting ready to go out »

« Going out? Now? » Angel said, curving an eyebrow. « Tara is about to leave »

« I know »

Saying this, Faith sat down on her bed while holding a pair of boots in her hand. She threaded them and began to lace them under Angel's stunned glance.

"Faith" He began slowly. « You should be there to tell her goodbye. »

"Maybe" She answered while continuing her task.

« Faith, you'll regret it if you don't tell her goodbye »

"Maybe" repeated the Slayer without looking at him.

Angel sighed and stared at the stubborn and closed look his Slayer was wearing. An expression that he hadn't seen for a long time. He hesitated on the behavior to have, wondered what he wanted to do by coming in here. An internal fight raged within him and when Faith finally got up and got ready to cross to the door, he had to decide.

« Faith » He said to her while stopping her by the arm. « Did you tell her how you feel about her? »

« What? » Faith answered, looking at him with an annoyed grin.

« Did you tell her that you want her to come back after the wedding? »

Faith shrugged and answered nothing. But she didn't move.

« Did you ask her to stay? » Angel resumed.

New shrug of shoulders.

« What's the use? » Faith answered. « She said that she wants to see if she can give Willow another chance. And her friends are over there. Her life is over there. Why would she come back? »

« Maybe if you tell her how you feel about her, that will give her a reason to come back. »

Faith opened her mouth to answer but no sound got out from it.

« Faith, tell her how you feel » Angel insisted.

« She loves Willow » the Slayer ruled after a hesitance. « That would be useless. She'll leave whatever I say »

« You know nothing about it » Angel protested. « You know nothing about it. And you'll know nothing about it if you say nothing»

"No" Faith said firmly. « It's useless »

She turned towards the door and again, Angel seized her by the arm.

« Faith, if you don't try, you'll regret it »

Faith got free without even looking at him.

« Then I'll regret it. »

And the Slayer left the room without adding anything more. Angel followed her close and had the surprise to find Cordelia on the other side of the door. Faith pushed her aside slightly to pass and tumbled down the stair four by four under both friends' glance. When she had disappeared through the Hyperion's main door, Cordelia turned to Angel and looked at him with a stern look.

« I thought we shouldn't try to make Tara stay? » She noted.

Angel shrugged.

« You were right on that one. I had to do something or at least try to. Without saying to her at all what Lorne doesn't want her to know. »

« But unsuccessfully? »

"Unsuccessfully"

--------------------------

Gunn grasped Tara's bag, from the sofa and took the young woman by her arm.

"It's about that time" he said regretfully.

Tara took a look at her watch and nodded.

"Yes"

Gunn offered her a friendly smile and exited the hotel, the bag thrown over his shoulder. Fred got up from the sofa where she was sitting. Cordelia went from the counter to stand beside Fred and Tara. Angel and Wesley came from the training room.

"Tara" Wesley said. "It's time to go"

The witch nodded again and the group headed towards the stoop. Gunn had just parked the car in front of the door. Wesley first took Tara in his arms for a hug. Then Fred, who was crying as much as when Tara had announced her departure to the group. And after that came Cordelia. Tara had never seen the former cheerleader so severe, serious and touched. To Tara's big surprise, she even shed a tear.

"Hey" the witch said, trying to smile despite the emotion that had seized her now. "Don't cry guys, we'll meet again, I'll come back and you all will come and visit me in Sunnydale when the business calms down"

"Yeah…" approved Cordelia while hugging tightly and trying to smile back.

Then she got free and it was Angel's turn to hug the witch against him.

"Still not here?" Tara asked discreetly.

Angel shook his head sadly.

"No, she hasn't come back yet. Or she's locked herself somewhere. I think she didn't want to be here for this"

Tara just nodded.

"You'll say goodbye to her for me?" She asked. "And tell her I'll phone as soon as I arrive. And will you take care of everything for her to come to Sunnydale this summer?"

"I already promised you this, you can count on me" Angel answered gently while hugging Tara more tightly against him.

"I know. Thank you for this. And thank you for everything that you all did for me"

"You don't have to thank us Tara. Having you here was a real pleasure."

"It was really nice to have you" Fred said. "We'll miss you"

"We finally had decent meals and Faith became almost sufferable. WE thank you for everything you did" Cordelia added, smiling frankly,

Tara smiled back and her gaze wandered around her, hoping to see Faith's profile. But the young woman did not appear and she had to make up her mind that the Slayer wouldn't show up to say goodbye.

"We're going Tara?" Gunn urged her on sympathetically.

Tara nodded and Angel finally released her.

"Take good care of you" he said gently, squeezing her hand in his own before letting her go.

Tara answered the squeeze and got into the car after hugging Cordelia and Fred again. When she was settled in the car, Tara looked again at her surroundings, searching for Faith. The witch sighed and closed the door of the car. Gunn started the engine and Tara made a last gesture with her hand to all the gathered gang while the car left the Hyperion.

Locked in a room on the first floor, lazily leaned on the window's frame, Faith was watching the scene, arms crossed over her chest, eyes fixed, jaw deeply locked.

-----------------------------------------

_This story is reaching its end...  
Next chapter will be the last one and will probably be published next week.  
I'm waiting for your comments !_


	14. Epilogue : Seeing Red

_Sorry for the delay guys ! I've been kinda busy lately, but at last, here is the epilogue of this story.  
Hope you'll enjoy it!_

_Thanks to everyone who took time to leave feedback_

----------------------------------------

**Epilogue : Seeing Red**

Returning to Sunnydale had brought its new share of tragic events. Xander's and Anya's wedding had turned into a disaster with Xander leaving Anya at the altar. And just after that, Buffy had suffered from being poisoned by a demon which had given her murderous intentions against all her friends and even her own sister.

Tara would have wished a quieter and less dramatic come back. But on that afternoon, while she walked in the streets of Sunnydale towards the Expresso Pump, thinking again about the last events since she had returned, Tara felt strangely light and optimistic. It was a sunny day and nothing seemed to have to affect the merry mood of the witch. Not even her nervousness at the idea of this first kind of "date" with Willow. Dawn hadn't lied. Willow was doing better. And Tara had taken a big pleasure in seeing her again at Xander's and Anya's non-wedding. The pleasure had been multiple for Tara: pleasure to notice that Willow really seemed on the way of healing, pleasure to feel again almost comfortable with her, pleasure to simply appreciate being with her. And then, after many times where the redhead had begun to formulate an invitation without ever reaching the end, Willow had eventually taken all courage needed and had come approach her after a class, the day before at the university.  
Tara had almost felt as nervous as during their first meetings, some years before. And this rediscovery had something exciting and magic.

Faith's silence - who since Tara's departure always pretended a thing or another not to speak to her when she phoned - didn't sadden her. Tara knew that Faith just needed a little time. The time of some calls, some letters, the time to learn that even if Tara belonged to Sunnydale with her family, Faith remained the best friend about whom she had never dared to dream. The time to learn that neither the distance, nor the time, nor her silence would take Tara away from her or would change her feelings for her. The time to tame the dark-haired Slayer for good.  
And Tara knew that it would happen. She knew that Faith would return towards her or at least, would let Tara return to her. She knew that the Slayer would come to Sunnydale to visit her, that Tara would help her to cure her wounds and to restick pieces, so numerous and so scattered, with Buffy and the rest of the gang.  
And with some luck, Faith would stay in Sunnydale, would find a new family there and Tara would be fulfilled to be so surrounded with all those that she loved.

Future was hers, Tara knew it in this beautiful spring day.

---------------------------------

Los Angeles' night had closed again on Faith. Like previous evenings since Tara's departure, the Slayer had hang about the streets of Los Angeles after the patrol despite Angel's will so that she came back to the hotel with him, Wesley and Gunn. But Faith needed to be alone and as every evening, Angel had eventually reluctantly let her do as she wanted.

Faith henceforth sat at the counter of a bar which she was used in frequenting some months previously. The glass she was making turn absent-mindly in her hand was still almost full. Faith didn't really want to drink. But she thought that having a beer in her hand would put her more still in the depressing atmosphere which was already enclosing her.

Tara had phoned several times since her departure and every time had asked to talk to her. And every time, Faith had pleaded anything that had crossed her mind to disappear without talking to her. And every time, Tara had made Angel promise to give Faith all her affection.

Faith didn't really know why she reacted that way. Maybe she was disappointed. Or angry. Or both.

What was the use to talk to Tara? To persuade herself that she meant something to her? Faith knew only too well how this story would end. Exactly as the others. Despite all her promises, Tara would eventually just forget everything about her. Because there were Dawn, Buffy, Xander. And Willow. Willow who obviously always seemed to have what Faith wanted. Tara would return towards her, and soon, Faith wouldn't be more than the vague recollection of a short-lived friendship. Before being nothing at all any more.

Tara would phone maybe some more times, then her phone calls would become less frequent before stopping definitively. Faith wouldn't go to Sunnydale during summer, because Tara would think about a lot of other things than about the girl that she had affectionately nicknamed "her" little Slayer.

Faith didn't really know why this time it so hurt. Why this time she refused that exit. Why this time she was burning to run to Sunnydale without waiting that Tara forgot about her.

But the Slayer remained desperately a prisoner of her insecurity. She could not totally get rid of the certainty that once Tara would have returned where she belonged, Faith would return to her hell. To her loneliness.

And this certainty had her coming back here every evening. She was sitting down at the bar, taking a drink she rarely finished and remained simply there doing nothing.

Maybe because she preferred to be alone here, in this anonymous bar, than at the Hyperion where she got too much used to being surrounded, being somebody, feeling home.

And she remained all alone until the bar closed and until she took back the road to the hotel.

But this evening wasn't exactly going to be as the others. Faith didn't still know it when she turned to the young man who had just sat down next to her. He was tall, athletic, brown-haired, had hazelnut eyes, a well drawn jaw. Completely her type. In other times. In former times. And he was vaguely familiar to her.

"Hey" He said while the Slayer put on him an examiner and annoyed glance at the same time.

Faith did not answer and continued to stare at him, wondering if she knew him.

« Long time, no see you here » he resumed.

Of course, thought Faith. She knew him from here. Necessarily. Except for Morris's office, cemeteries and the Hyperion, she had not that much occasions to frequent many places.

« Then, what did you do all this time? Do you want something else to drink? »

Both questions were linked without leaving time to Faith to answer and already the young man made a sign to the barman.

« Drop it » growled out Faith.

The young man retracted at once his hand and Faith wondered if he had really intended to offer her a drink. He looked at her one second with hesitance, slightly embarrassed by her tone.

« Rough day? » He asked sympathetically. « By the way, I'm Luke. You are...? »

He waited that she completed but the Slayer answered nothing. He looked for a moment then gave up.

« I have a thing with names » he said on an apologic tone.

He took a mouthful of his drink then stared at Faith again.

« So, still alone ? » He asked. « You know, I remember you and our little encounter very well. »

He finished his sentence in a breath which he wanted languishing and Faith also remembered. Well maybe. He or another one, how would she make the difference?  
She sighed, but the tiredness of this sigh was totally missed by her interlocutor.

« I thought that we could do that again » resumed Luke. « You and I, we were firecrackers together. »

« Drop it » said Faith again.

« C'mon, don't make me beg » Luke exclaimed cheerfully, apparently sure to have what he wanted in the end. « Don't tell me I wasn't good? »

Faith didn't still send him a glance and took a mouthful of her beer before pushing a new sigh, irritated this time.

« Drop it » she repeated abruptly. « I'm not interested. »

« C'mon » Luke still insisted. « Don't tell me you became a romantic? Girls like you aren't romantic »

Words had an immediate effect on the Slayer. This time, she turned round to Luke with surliness. She sent him a dark look but he didn't seem or didn't want to notice it. He got up while sending her a smile.

« C'mon, let's go girlie » he said to her while approaching her and putting his hand on her thigh.

The gesture made Faith violently jump. This time, he had gone too far. Faith grasped his hand and pushed it away far from her. But in her anger, she had forgotten a detail. She was a Slayer. A Slayer with an outstanding strength. And she hadn't mastered her gesture. Under the violence of Faith's push, Luke fell over brutally behind and crashed without sweetness into a group of other patrons sat on stools not too far away. All the group met itself on the ground in its turn and a hubbub of dissatisfaction followed. Faith had jumped up at the foot of her stool and looked at the scene, shared between satisfaction and contrariety.  
And when Luke got up, cast her a glance filled with anger and with fury before going in her direction, his fist raised, ready to strike her back, she knew that she had just made a grave mistake. Faith sighed and resigned herself. Whatever would happen, she wouldn't let this idiot strike her without reacting and defending herself. And no matter if she had to fight with him and hurt this too pushing boy for this. No matter.

---------------------------------------

Tara lied back in pillows behind her and smiled. Willow turned around from her computer put at the end of the bed and looked at the blonde witch with a light grin.

« What are you doing? » She asked with a pout.

« For the third time, I'm writing a letter » answered simply Tara while pointing to the sheet in front of her. « And you, do you find something about the trio's plans? »

« A letter to who? » Willow asked again while crawling towards Tara with a roguish smile.

« Somebody really important to me » the answer was.

Willow pouted again and Tara made pretence of noticing nothing while she went on writing some words, but curving regularly an eyebrow in the direction of the redhead.

« You will know soon enough to who it is » said Tara when she noticed that Willow didn't stop looking at her.

« A secret lover? » The redhead joked, still approaching and putting down a quick kiss on Tara's cheek. « How long is she still going to hold you away from me? » whispered Willow again while nibbling Tara's ear.

Tara wasn't able to refrain from laughing at the redhead's behavior, which encouraged this last one to go on to trace the face and the body of the blonde with her lips and her hands.

« I think I'll finish it later » Tara said finally.

She put down the letter at the feet of the bed and attracted Willow against her for a passion-filled kiss.

--------------------------------

Faith's room's door opened with a crash and Angel appeared on the threshold. The look on his face indicated that he was far from happy and he walked straight ahead towards the Slayer who sat on her bed impeccably made. Angel had to notice the unusual arrangement of the room usually so messy because he stopped and considered his surroundings with a curious glance before his attention returned on Faith.

« What happened? » He asked in a hard voice. « What did you do? I just got Morris on the phone, he's furious. He talked about a fight you had in a bar yesterday evening and … »

« It wasn't my fault » protested Faith in a quiet voice in which an ounce of resignation was stuck.

« What happened? » Repeated Angel. « Faith, you have to tell me. »

« There was that guy in the bar, he began to hit on me. I said to him that I wasn't interested but he insisted. Then I pushed him away, and with Slayer's strength and all, he flew through the bar. He wasn't very happy about it and he attacked me. I defended myself. And everything got mad. »

« Did you hit him? »

Faith didn't answer at first and her eyes avoided Angel's when the vampire was staring at her.

« Faith? »

"Yes" she answered finally, still without looking at the vampire.

« There was a big fight after this? » Angel asked again, finishing his sentence in a rustle.

Faith nodded simply her head and her eyes seemed to find something very interesting to look on her right.

« Did you hit anybody else? » Angel asked again after a silence.

« Maybe » murmured Faith in a breath.

It was sure. Faith knew it. In the tumult which had provoked her altercation with Luke and during the big fight which had followed in the bar, Faith had let everything go. She had given up control on her own drives of violence. She had left the fury which slept in her take the power. Just for some moments. But she knew now that it was overmuch moments.

« Faith … »

In front of her, Angel twisted his hands with despair and seemed shared between pain and anger. Faith didn't know which of these two feelings she regretted the most to cause to the vampire.

"Faith" resumed Angel in a little surer voice. « With your past … »

« I know » cut him Faith with swaggering. « I know exactly what I risk »

She faced finally Angel and their glances crossed.

« The police are there » said simply Angel. « Morris was not able to do something about this. Your release on probation is interrupted »

Faith nodded and sketched a grin she wanted derisory. Then she pointed the ordered room with a circular gesture of her arm and the bag full and closed, put on the bed.

« I'm ready » she answered. And she didn't succeed in masking totally the shiver in her voice.

Both friends stared at each other a moment silently. Then Faith got up and grasped the bag behind her. Her glance passed behind Angel and she saw several policemen appearing in the doorstep. One of them moved in when he saw that she was looking at him and took out his handcuffs with hesitance. Faith looked again at Angel then tightened her wrists forward. The cold metal of the handcuffs slid on her skin the following moment. The policeman pushed her towards the exit and Angel followed the group outside. Faith crossed the corridor and went down the stair which led to the lobby under good escort. Below, all the group was gathered but a deathly silence was reigning over the hotel. Nobody pronounced a word when she crossed the hall then the door but Faith was able to feel sorry or disapproving glances from her companions settling on her and accompanying her until she was out of sight. Only Angel crossed the door with her. When she was asked to get into the police car, Faith wanted to say something. The first thing that came to her was « don't tell Tara » but she gave up and preferred to keep silent.  
And finally no other word was exchanged between them before a policeman pushed her in the car which would get her back to the penitentiary, and before closed on her, the door of freedom. Weather was desperately beautiful.

-------------------------------------

Tara smiled while she caressed tenderly Willow's red hair. The blonde witch was amazed to see, as after dark months of despair, her life had abruptly just turned to total happiness. She turned her head to the side of the bed and to the letter for Faith she had put down there. Both previous ones which she had already written to her, had remained unanswered. Time. Faith needed some time. Tara knew it, accepted it. And time which was necessary, she was ready to take it.  
Apparently, Dawn hadn't talked to Willow about the soft friendship who united her to the former rogue Slayer. Or Willow had never evoked it. Tara knew that both Faith and Willow would doubtless have some trouble to accept each other when they would meet again when Faith would come during the summer. But Tara had taken back some self-confidence. Enough confidence to believe that Faith still liked her despite her silence. Enough confidence to return towards Willow. Enough confidence to imagine that the two most important people to her would eventually get along with each other despite the past. Enough confidence to believe that they would do it for her.

« We're going to need to get up any moment sweetie » she said tenderly, bending towards the redhead's ear.

« Hem … » Protested Willow.

Then she stood up and captured Tara's lips with hers.

« C'mon, get up now sweetie » said Tara cheerfully while breaking the kiss and getting up.

"Hem" still pouted Willow.

"Up" repeated Tara in a wrongly austere tone.

« Come to get me up » asked the redhead languishingly while overturning on her back and sending a charming smile to the blonde.

"Will" Tara said, smiling, hands on her hips.

But she returned nevertheless towards the bed and held out her hand to the redhead. This one seized it, and as Tara had expected it, Willow pulled her again on the bed. Tara began laughing and gave way in her girlfriend's arms.

« You're impossible » she said to her, still laughing.

« You didn't think getting out of this so easily Tara Maclay? »

Willow kissed her again and let her hands run on the blonde's chest. Tara answered the embrace without being prayed. And this time, it was Willow who got free and jumped up at the bed's feet.

"Hem" growled out Tara in protest.

« We have to get up baby » answered cheerfully Willow while collecting her clothes.

"Tease" Tara threw her.

Willow answered nothing and went out of the room, leaving behind her a sulky Tara, who hurried to follow her in the bathroom.

« Hey, clothes » Willow said a little later, while pointing the aforementioned clothes.

« Better not get used to them » Tara answered her roguishly while sending her, her characteristic smile.

« Yes, m'dam »

Willow grasped Tara's belt and attracted her against her for a kiss. Then the redhead squeezed her girlfriend in her arms. An expression of profound happiness illuminated the features of the blonde witch while she savored Willow's regained closeness.

« Hey, Xander » said Tara, perceiving the young man entering the garden over Willow's shoulder.

« Hum, not quite the answer I was fishing for » protested Willow by moving back.

« No, he's here » explained Tara while approaching the window.

Willow smiled again and turned around towards a dresser which she opened a chest.

« You think they make up? » Asked Willow.

« I hope so » answered Tara, turning around with a big smile. « That's the best part »

Both lovers exchanged a new smile. Nothing seemed to be able to make this expression of happiness faint from the face of both witches.

And just at this moment, there was a dry banging. Then a second. And a third. As gunshots. And at the same time, that noise of glass breaking and this lightning pain in her chest. Tara didn't understand where it came from, didn't understand what was happening. In front of her, joy on Willow's face had faltered to give way to the same surprise as hers. There was something that she couldn't clearly identify on her white shirt. Her sight blurred.

Tara didn't understand what was happening but she understood that everything was over. That the road stopped there. She knew that she wouldn't see Buffy's return to life, that she would miss Dawn's entrance to high school. That Willow would never have time to tell her how sorry she was about the memory spell. That Faith would never come to her in Sunnydale. That her last letter to the dark-haired Slayer would remain unfinished. She didn't see her life scroll before her as it was rumored it should. She wasn't able to tell Willow how much she loved her and that she should be strong without her, as you always had time to do in movies. She even had no opportunity to think about all this. Everything was disappearing too fast. Everything was ending too fast.

"Your shirt " was all that went out of her mouth while her consciousness faltered.

Tara's last embryo of thought was not for Willow as it should probably have. It wasn't either for Buffy dying in the garden. It wasn't for Dawn she was abandoning in her turn. It wasn't for Faith to whom she wouldn't fulfill the promise made before her departure.

No, Tara Maclay's last thought was for her father. Her father who had always repeated her that she wouldn't be entitled to happiness. And that if something in her life came to look like it, it would be to be irreparably ripped off from her.  
As darkness was closing on her, Tara knew that he was right. That he had won. Happiness was not for her.

_**The end.**_

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_Just to let you know, this story will have a sequel in some time..._

_Hope you enjoyed the ride!_

_Please, tell me what you think about the story now that it's finished._


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